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Annual health screenings will benefit women above 40 as they are at higher risk of contracting chronic diseases and genital cancers. Susan Chen reports
WOMEN above 40 face more health risks and are more prone to chronic diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipiademia, diabetes and osteoporosis. There is also an increased probability of contracting cancer as one gets older.
Statistics from the National Cancer Centre Singapore list breast, colorectum and lung cancer as the top three cancers affecting women in Singapore. Dr Ang Seng Bin, head and senior family physician, family medicine service, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), says women above 40 are more susceptible to these health conditions due to a decrease in metabolism as well as the loss of the protective effect of oestrogen in post-menopausal women. Stress, diet and lifestyles are also linked to the increased risks, adds Dr Christopher Chong, urogynaecologist, obstetrician and gynaecologist at Gleneagles Hospital. He also names breast cancer and genital cancers — uterine (womb), ovarian and cervical cancer — as potential health risks older women face. In Singapore, uterine cancer is the third most common female genital tract cancer, after cervix and ovarian cancers.
With early detection such as regular health screenings, many of these chronic diseases can be controlled and cancers treated. Says Dr Chong: “I always advise my patients to see a doctor when they are well and not wait till they are unwell. Other than blood tests, ECG (heart) and chest Xrays, I advise my patients below 40 to do yearly pap smear and ultrasound of the pelvis, when above 40 to add mammogram every one to two years and after menopause, to add bone density test.” Health screenings are useful for precancer stage or early stages, and can improve the outcome of treatment. It is also crucial in detecting breast and cervical cancers. He adds: “There is a pre-cancer stage for cervical cancer and early detection for breast cancer. This had been accepted worldwide. For ovarian cancer, blood tumour markers test and regular ultrasound of the pelvis have been tried but detection is often in the later stage. There is no established screening test for womb cancer.”
For women above 50, Dr Ang of KKH advises that they also take a fecal occult blood test annually or undergo a colonoscopy every five years. Those above 65 years old should check for bone mineral density if one’s osteoporosis self assessment tool result is greater than 20. This self-assessment tool was developed to help a post-menopausal Asian woman assess her risk for developing osteoporosis. It is calculated based on one’s age and weight. It is obtained by subtracting one’s weight (in kg) from one’s age. If it is more than 20, the risk for developing osteoporosis is high and a bone mineral density test should be done. Dr Chong suspects that less than half of women above 40 years of age go for annual health checks. He says: “Majority actually seek help and are discovered to have cancer from signs and symptoms rather than from screening. This is unfortunate as many of these cases may be discovered in the later stages.”
To encourage women of all ages to stay healthy through personalised and integrated clinical approaches to managing health risks and diseases early, Parkway Shenton recently set up an upmarket women only centre, LUXE Women Wellness Centre for Women (above). Here, medical consultations and diagnosis are conducted by a female resident physician with special interest in preventive and sports medicine. The centre offers female patients privacy, with private plush VIP suites where health screenings take place, femaleonly onsite radiology; special facilities such as a medical concierge desk, a waiting area that is wi-fi enabled, a refreshment area and shower facilities. A spokesman says LUXE is in response to an increasing demand by female patients for premium health-care services. She says: “The new concept of a female by female exclusive premium health and wellness centre was conceived and introduced to expand the choices available for ladies wanting to take a proactive approach to managing their health in a luxury and comfortable setting that offers customised and personalised quality health-care services.” The centre offers two health-care screening packages: one for women under 40 which costs $2,500 and another for women over 40, priced at $2,900.
The under-40 package has services ranging from eye checks, cardiac screenings, to cancer marker screening tests while the over-40 plan includes mammograms and tests for ageing biomarkers. An affordable choice Generally, hospitals and some clinics in Singapore do offer competitive health screening packages for all ages and genders. KKH, being a women’s hospital, has gone a step further with its Women’s Wellness Centre, which offers a wide range of holistic screening packages tailored to meet the needs of women at various stages of life. The centre offers three wellness packages — women below 40, above 40 and women in general. Prices range from $308 to $478. For example, the above-40 plan costs $478 and includes a physical examination and a series of medical and laboratory investigations for early signs of cancers. The women in general plan is the lowest priced at $308. It comes with a detailed physical examination with basic blood tests but no gynaecological assessments.
Apart from regular health checks, Dr Chong advises women to keep healthy by exercising, eating a balanced diet, giving themselves time for relaxing hobbies and getting vaccinated against diseases such as human papilloma virus which causes cervical cancer. They should also quit bad habits such as smoking, drinking and keeping late nights. He says: “The starting point should always be the person wanting to be healthy and hence looking for ways to fulfil this...Bad habits and lifestyle will reduce a person’s resistance. Resistance is inversely proportional to infection, that is, if resistance is low, infection rate will be high. Smoking, for example, will increase the risks of all cancers. Having multiple sexual partners will also increase the risk of cervical cancer.”
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