The Big Story: Why is cancer screening participation low in Singapore? Here's why you should get screened early

Published on 5 Feb 2026
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Singapore faces a growing challenge in cancer screening, with participation rates for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers remaining worryingly low.

At the same time, cancer diagnoses among younger adults are on the rise, highlighting an urgent need to rethink early detection strategies.

And efforts like the launch of RISE (Research Institute for Cancer Prevention, Screening and Early Detection) aim to strengthen research, inform evidence-based policies, and develop strategies to improve early detection.

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Professor Ravindran Kanesvaran, Chairman and Senior Consultant of the Division of Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Centre Singapore, and Co-Director of RISE, to explore the barriers to cancer screening in Singapore, the trends shaping cancer incidence in younger adults, and the strategies that could help Singaporeans detect cancer earlier and save lives.

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