SINGAPORE — A national survey that looked at colorectal cancer screening behaviour in Singapore has revealed worrying screening rates.

While almost nine in 10 of the respondents agreed that screening could help detect colorectal cancer at an early stage and save lives, only three in 10 were up to date with their screening.

The survey involved 1,743 individuals with the mean age of 61.3 years.

The survey also found one of the factors that made people put off screening is the fear of finding out they have cancer.

Doctors said this is worrying as colorectal cancer is the most common cancer in Singapore.

According to Dr Reuben Wong, a consultant at the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the National University Hospital (NUH), other barriers such as the misconception about the cost of screening deter people from seeking an early detection for colorectal cancer as well.

Dr Wong explains: “First of all was this misconception that screening is expensive. A lot of people, 80 plus per cent of our respondents, believe that screening for colonoscopy was expensive both among males and females. When patients were asked about colonoscopy as a screening procedure, both men and women raised concerns about colonoscopy being a painful procedure and being potentially embarrassing.” CHANNEL NEWSASIA