Health Check Ep 12: Fact-checking common myths about colorectal cancer

9:54 mins

Synopsis: In this fortnightly podcast series on Tuesdays, The Straits Times guides you to healthier living, debunks the myths, and examines the impact of national policies with expert guests.

ST correspondent Joyce Teo and health reporter Rei Kurohi interview Professor Francis Seow-Choen (pictured centre), a colorectal surgeon from Concord International Hospital.

He lays out the facts about colorectal cancer, which is the number one cancer in Singapore, and answers the following questions:

1. What is colorectal cancer? (0:33)

2. What are the biggest misconceptions about this cancer and why? (0:48)

3. What role does sugar intake play? Can vegans and vegetarians get colorectal cancer? (2:37)

4. What about environmental factors causing colorectal cancer? (5:50)

5. When should we start going for screening and how often? (6:55)

Professor Seow-Choen also says that family history and genes determine the first cause of colorectal cancer. But 80% of all patients also do not have any family history, so environmental factors and ageing come into play next.

Produced by: Joyce Teo, Rei Kurohi and Ernest Luis

Edited by: Adam Azlee

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