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A
total of 31, 829 cases of cancer were diagnosed among Singaporeans
from 1993-1997.
In comparison
with Western countries, Singapore has higher incidence rates for
cancers of the nose, throat, oesophagus, stomach, liver and lower
rates for cancers of pancreas, skin, breast and prostate. The incidence
rate for cancers of the colon are approaching that of the West.
The relative
risks, after adjustment for age, for selected cancers among the
major ethnic groups for the period 1993-1997 shows that both male
and female Malay and Indians are at significantly lower risk of
cancer than the Chinese. This is especially so for the cancers of
the nose & throat, lung, oesophagus, stomach, colon, rectum
and skin.
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A study
of the relative frequencies of the ten most frequent cancers for
males and females in each of the broad age-groups for the period
of 1993-1997 showed the following patterns:
In
children (0-14 years) the main cancers in both sexes are cancers
of the blood (leukaemias) and cancer of the brain and nervous system.
In
young adults (15-34 years), cancers of the nose and throat is most
common in males. Other relatively frequent cancers are leukaemias,
colo-rectum cancer and brain cancer. In females, breast cancer is
most common, followed by ovary and lung cancers.
In
the middle age (35-64 years), colo-rectum and lung cancers are common
in males. In females, colo-rectum cancer is in second place after
breast cancer. Liver and Stomach cancers continue to be important
in males. In females, cervix, ovary and lung cancers remain common.
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