Cancer is often perceived as an illness of seniors. However, breast cancer diagnosis is on the rise for women aged below 40 in Singapore. Cultural and lifestyle change have contributed to this trend, and as patients and physicians are likely to overlook early signs due to their age, patients are being diagnosed at a later stage.
In this Pacific Prime CXA article, we want to shed light on how you can safeguard yourself or your loved ones from breast cancer risk and available insurance options to lift the weight of financial preparation off your shoulders should the worst come to happen.
Breast Cancer on the Rise for Younger Women in Singapore
Breast cancer is often seen as an illness for women in their 50s and 60s. However, from 2019-2022, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital has seen a slight increase in the prevalence of breast cancer in patients younger than 40, from 8% to 10%.
The trend was also picked up earlier by National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), with more than 720 patients being diagnosed with breast cancer below the age of 40 from 2015-2020, around 5% more than in the preceding five-year period.
Breast cancer that occurs in women under the age of 45 is considered an ‘early onset breast cancer.’ While the common belief is the younger the patient, the better they can recover; young patients with early onset breast cancer are more likely to be diagnosed with more aggressive cancer such as triple-negative breast cancer or HER2-positive breast cancer.
Early signs of breast cancer in young patients are also more likely to be overlooked by physicians and patients as the illness is generally more common in older age. This means patients are being diagnosed at a later stage, when the disease has already progressed.
What Could be the Causes?
Dr. Anthony Tang, a specialist breast cancer surgeon, remarked cultural and lifestyle changes as some potential factors behind the increasing breast cancer diagnosis in younger women.
In the past, women generally had a child at an earlier age, usually before 35. Mothers were also more likely to breastfeed and have more children. All of these can lower the risk of breast cancer.
Nowadays, modern lifestyle sees women having fewer children, at a later age, and some also opting out of breastfeeding.
Sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet that come with desk-bound professions are also among the known factors for increased risk of breast cancer.
Other factors that lead to higher risk of breast cancer include having genetic predisposition and having periods at a younger age.
How to Spot Breast Cancer Early
Mammograms are the most recommended breast cancer screening for women aged 40-49. However, mammograms do not work as well for younger women who tend to have higher breast density. Monthly breast self-examination is among the best ways for women below the age of 40 to keep their eyes out for early signs of breast cancer.
Singapore Cancer Society has an informative video on how women from the age of 20 can start doing breast self-examination.
One of the most common signs of breast cancer is noticing a lump in your breast.
Not all lumps in the breast are cancerous. Oftentime, they are common and benign. But as it is among the most obvious signs for breast cancers, women are recommended to come in for a check up to rule out any possible malignancy.
Other anomalies women can keep their eyes on for possible breast cancer include:
- Bloody discharge from the nipple
- Dimpling or irritation of breast skin
- Red patch or flaky skin around the nipple area or the breast
- Persistent rash around the nipple area
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast
- Pain in any area of the breast
Health Insurance Options for Breast Cancer Care
When it comes to cancer care, there are two common health insurance options that you may have heard of: critical Illness insurance and general medical insurance. This section will expand on the difference between the two and what they will cover.
General Medical Insurance
General medical insurance plan generally covers your hospitalization, outpatient service, specialists consultation, diagnostic screening, and prescription medicine, to name a few.
For this type of insurance, you can make claims for each medical service you receive. This makes general medical insurance a great financial support for your day-to-day visit to the doctor or during the initial stage of screening.
Some general medical insurance will also provide coverage for preventative care such as annual health check-up, flu shot, and cancer screening such as mammogram and colonoscopy.
Critical Illness Insurance
Unlike general medical insurance, you usually cannot make multiple claims for critical illness insurance. Instead, critical illness insurance pays you a lump sum of money in one go once you are diagnosed with any of the covered critical illnesses.
The Life Insurance Association of Singapore outlined 37 common critical illnesses that are typically covered by critical illness insurance in Singapore, including:
- Cancer
- Heart attack
- Stroke with permanent neurological deficit
- Coronary artery by-pass surgery
- Alzheimer’s Disease or severe dementia
Critical illness insurance can be a great financial support as the payout can be used for multiple purposes outside of medical treatment such as:
- To supplement your lost income
- To pay for childcare
- To repay debt
- To make lifestyle changes necessary for your recovery
Further reading: Are you considering critical illness insurance in Singapore? Our article on Critical illness insurance vs. medical insurance: Things you should know and The Best Critical Illness Insurance In Singapore got you covered.
One thing to note, however, is to make sure you are covered before your diagnosis. Diagnosis of cancer or any potential risk of cancer noted by physicians might disqualify you from certain insurance plans or affect the amount of premiums you pay.
Critical illness insurance plans also generally come with a specified waiting period before you can make a claim under the policy. Thus, if you are looking for insurance to cover you for any critical illness, it is essential that you get one before your diagnosis or screening.
Find the Plan that is Right for You
Pacific Prime CXA provides an insurance brokerage service that allows its clients to compare quotes and insurance plans from top insurers in the region.
With over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, we can help our clients navigate the various insurance products in the market and identify one that truly fits their needs and budgets.
Whether you are looking for a comprehensive health insurance package for your stay in Singapore or you are looking for critical illness insurance to supplement your existing plans, reach out to our experts and get a free quote today!
Coming to Pacific Prime, she is ready to utilize her experience for the new pursuit. With a strong passion for storytelling and writing, she hopes her words could help bring people closer to the best international health insurance plan that works for them. After all, as a writer, there is no greater honor than when one’s words can add clarity to the world of the readers.
Apart from writing, she is an avid planespotter. On the weekends, you can expect to find her loitering around the airport, gawking at all the aircrafts taking off and landing. When the weather does not permit planespotting, you can find her huddling on her cozy couch, watching ballet and figure skating as well.