23/02/2026
If you are born in 1990 , you are four times more likely to develop colorectal cancer compared with someone born in 1950!!!
In the Singapore Cancer Registry Annual Reports: Between 1968 and 1972, the earliest period on record in the report, the number of cancer diagnoses for people under 40 was just 1,710.
Between 2003 and 2007, the number stood at 3,729. Between 2019 and 2023, there were 4,995 cancer diagnoses for those under 40 – a 34 per cent increase!!!
“Researchers have identified a ‘birth cohort effect’ showing that each successive generation born after the 1950s carries a higher cancer risk than the one before,” Dr Eileen P**n, a senior consultant oncologist from National Cancer Centre said. “People under 50 are the only age group to experience sustained increases in cancer incidence since 1995,” added Dr P**n.
This is due to the rise in ultra-processed foods, obesity, sedentary lifestyles and alterations to the gut microbiome, she explained.
Regular physical activity and avoiding excess weight are among the strongest protective factors against cancer, Dr Chan said, noting obesity’s association with several cancers such as colorectal, breast and endometrial cancers.
To reduce chances of cancer, you should have balanced diets, take in more vegetables, fruits and fibre, while eating less processed meats and red meats, as well as ultra-processed foods, she added.
“These factors are especially relevant for colorectal cancer,” she said, adding that people should also avoid smoking and alcohol.
Young people should also go for cancer screenings, Dr Chan added, highlighting the importance of cervical and breast cancer screenings for women.
“Not all young-onset cancers are preventable and many people who do ‘everything right’ can still develop cancer,” she noted.
“Small, consistent lifestyle choices made over time can meaningfully lower cancer risk.”
