Singapore cancer trends in the last decade

Lim GH,Chow KY, Lee HP
Correspondence: Ms Lim Gek Hsiang, lim_gek_hsiang@hpb.gov.sg

ABSTRACT
In this review, we examine the trends in cancer incidence, mortality and survival in the last decade, using published data from the Singapore Cancer Registry in the period 1998 to 2009. While overall cancer incidences have remained stable, overall cancer mortality rates have declined for both genders. Thus, it is not surprising that there was an improvement in cancer survival. A steady decrease in lung cancer among males and females was observed, thereby leading to a drop in its cancer ranking. In the last five years, the most frequently occurring cancer was colorectal cancer among the male population and breast cancer among females. Survival for both cancers remained relatively optimistic. There is good reason to pay special attention to colorectal cancer due to its high frequency of occurrence among the Singapore population and because it is amenable to early detection via screening.

Keywords: cancer, incidence, mortality, Singapore, survival
Singapore Med J 2012; 53(1): 3–10