MELISSA TEO SURGERY &
THE SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINIC
HEALTH SCREENING
PREVENTING AND DETECTING EARLY CANCERS
Contrary to popular belief, cancer can be cured – if it is discovered early. With vast improvements in cancer treatments, the survival rates for patients diagnosed with cancer have greatly increased over the years. By doing appropriate screening investigations, doctors are able to detect growths at a pre-cancerous stage or diagnose cancers at an early stage. Early detection and timely treatment can be given to address the progression of the cancer and often results in good survival outcomes.
In Singapore, the most common cancers include colorectal, stomach, and lung cancers.
Melissa Teo Surgery and The Surgical Oncology Clinic offers the following procedures to facilitate your health screening:
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OGD (gastroscopy)
An OGD enables the doctor to examine the lining of the oesophagus, stomach and the first segment of the small intestine (duodenum). It is sometimes also referred to as a gastroscopy.
This procedure is usually recommended for the investigation of symptoms such as indigestion, frequent abdominal pain or discomfort, heartburn, vomiting, nausea, and weight loss. It is an effective method to check for symptoms or confirm a diagnosis, such as stomach ulcers, stomach cancer or H. pylori bacterial infection.
An OGD is performed in the endoscopy suite, while patients are comfortably sedated. The procedure involves the insertion of a soft, thin, bendable tube with a built-in camera via the mouth, and into the stomach.
It is used to screen for gastric (stomach) cancer and can also detect the presence of a bacteria (Helicobacter Pylori), a known cause of stomach cancer that can be treated with oral medications.
At Melissa Teo Surgery and The Surgical Oncology Clinic, our doctors are experienced in performing OGDs and will ensure that you are cared for, before and after the procedure. Your results will be discussed in detail with you right after the procedure, and any subsequent follow-up consultations needed will be made swiftly.
A colonoscopy is similar to an OGD – however, instead of investigating the upper gastrointestinal tract, the lower gastrointestinal tract i.e. the colon, is examined.
If you experience changes in your bowel habits and /or symptoms, like blood in stools, diarrhoea or constipation that does not go away, it is advisable for you to undergo a colonoscopy. In addition, colonoscopy is a very effective screening tool for colorectal cancer. Individuals with a family history or anyone above 50 years of age are encouraged to be screened for colorectal cancer, as it is the most common cancer in Singapore.
A colonoscopy is performed in the endoscopy suite, while patients are comfortably sedated. The procedure involves the insertion of a soft, thin and flexible tube via the anus, into the large intestine. The tube has a built-in camera that allows the doctor to examine all parts of your large intestine including the colon, rectum and anus.
It is used to screen for colorectal cancer as it allows for early detection of tumours and pre-cancerous growths, called polyps. Polyps are usually harmless and do not cause any symptoms when they are small, but over time they may cause problems of bleeding, obstruction and become cancerous. Colonoscopy allows for the detection and removal of these polyps, and hence helps to prevent colorectal cancer.
Our doctors at Melissa Teo Surgery and The Surgical Oncology Clinic have many years of experience performing colonoscopies for patients. We take care in ensuring that it is done carefully and expertly, and any follow-up consultations needed will be addressed swiftly.
A blood test is a medical procedure commonly used for health screening. It can be used to assess your general state of health and can also detect health conditions such as cancer.
A nurse or a phlebotomist will take blood and we will send it to the laboratory for testing. Different blood tests measure and screen for different parts of your body.
The common blood tests that we do include:
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Full Blood Count
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Renal (kidney) and liver Screen
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Cancer markers like Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), Cancer Antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125)
We also offer basic health screening and comprehensive health screening blood tests.
After the blood test results are out, our doctors at Melissa Teo Surgery and The Surgical Oncology Clinic will go through them with you. Further tests such as scans may be done if deemed necessary.
Health screening gets increasingly important with age - by getting screened regularly, there is a higher chance of early detection.
We offer three different health screening packages to suit your needs:
Please click on the various packages above to view more details regarding the various health screening packages that we offer.
Each package includes pre and post consultation, laboratory tests, urine analysis, stool analysis, cardiac screen, and imaging tests. If you are interested in getting a gastroscopy or colonoscopy, we have packages catered for you as well.
Our doctors at Melissa Teo Surgery and The Surgical Oncology Clinic will guide you along the way, and go through all results with you.
