Quite some time ago, I used to be an active tennis player. Good enough to play competitively during my school days.
After starting work, I stopped playing tennis.
But then some years ago, I started playing with some SIA cabin crew at the SIA Sports Club.
I have since stopped due to lack of time.
I recall one of the cabin crew asking me one day what I did. They were mostly pilots and cabin crew, with some office staff.
I told him that I was a doctor, and his reaction was quite interesting.
He said something like this:
“Wah! Your job very negative man. How you tahan…”
I replied, “Yah, come here and hit some balls and de-stress lor! Hahaha…”
But then I asked him, hmm, why do you say that?
His reply was that in my line of work, I just listen to problems the whole day long.
I am surrounded by negativity.
I never looked at it that way before, but as I thought about it, he had a point.
Not all patients we see are ill. In fact, many well patients come in for routine things like health screening, vaccinations, general health consultations and administrative matters.
But it is true, a large part of my day is spent listening to problems.
So when good things happen, I guess it is also important to take some time to appreciate them and maybe, also to share.
So here’s something with a somewhat positive outcome.
A Routine Health Screening
Some time ago, we had a patient in her 60s who had health screening done at our clinic.
A basic health screen was ordered, consisting of blood tests for diabetes, cholesterol, liver function, kidney function, calcium and uric acid levels, a blood count test and a urine test.
MOH offers subsidised colorectal cancer screening for eligible adults aged 50 and above. We arranged for this test as well.
This stool test is known as the Faecal Immunochemical Test — we just call it the FIT kit.
What this does is test for the presence of blood in the stool.
If there is blood in the stool, it can come from piles, which is very common, but it can also come from things which are not good.
A positive FIT result does not necessarily mean cancer, but it requires further investigation, usually with a colonoscopy.
Two Unexpected Findings
It was fortunate for this patient that health screening was done.
She was found to have diabetes — newly diagnosed. Her blood glucose was very high and she needed treatment immediately.
When she came back for review, I explained the results to her.
We discussed her diagnosis of diabetes and agreed on starting medication to bring her condition under control.
Her FIT kit result came back positive — two samples were sent and both showed the presence of blood.
Such a result requires further evaluation in the hospital setting.
After some discussion with her family, they decided to be referred to a private hospital.
I referred her to a senior and experienced surgeon.
The Diagnosis
She was seen by the surgeon, who ordered a colonoscopy.
I received a phone call from the surgeon after the colonoscopy, and he informed me that he had found a tumour in the colon. It looked cancerous, and biopsies had been taken to confirm the diagnosis.
Results later confirmed that the tumour was colorectal cancer.
At the same time, he told me he was ordering CT scans to check for spread to other organs.
Thankfully, once these were done, they showed no evidence of distant spread.
As the patient and her family were comfortable with the surgeon, they proceeded to plan for surgery to remove the cancer.
Surgery was successfully performed. The doctor wrote back to me, and his opinion was that the prognosis was good.
Post-operatively, she recovered well and subsequently came back for follow-up with me for her diabetes.
I ordered blood tests, and her diabetes was under control.
She would require regular medication and follow-up with the clinic for her diabetes, as well as continued specialist follow-up following her cancer surgery.
But otherwise, she was doing well.
When Health Screening Makes a Difference
Now this is a case where health screening made a difference.
A simple FIT kit test led to a diagnosis of colorectal cancer, and the tumour was removed before any distant spread was detected.
This does not necessarily mean that the cancer was cured, but the outcome was encouraging, and her surgeon felt that the prognosis was good.
Blood tests diagnosed her diabetes, and it was now under control.
This is just a sharing to show that simple health screenings like this can make a positive difference to you and your family members’ health.
Dr H
A Note About Colorectal Cancer Screening
In Singapore, colorectal cancer screening is recommended from the age of 50 for people at average risk.
One screening option is the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), which is generally performed annually.
A positive FIT result should be followed up with further assessment, usually a colonoscopy.
People with a family history of colorectal cancer or other significant risk factors may need screening earlier.
Importantly, screening is intended for people without symptoms. Anyone experiencing blood in the stool, persistent changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss or other concerning symptoms should seek medical assessment rather than simply relying on a FIT kit.
For more information, visit our Health Screening page at GreenLink Medical Clinic.
Editor’s note: This article was originally shared by Dr H on Facebook on 15 January 2025. It has been lightly edited and updated for publication on The GreenLink. Certain clinical details have been generalised to protect patient confidentiality.
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for general health education and does not replace personalised medical advice. Individual screening recommendations depend on medical history, family history, symptoms and other risk factors.