Top 10 most treatable cancers

If the prospect of cancer made you feel anxious, you’re not the only one. A study estimates that nearly half of Singaporeans feel ill-prepared to manage the disease. 

There is a silver lining. Decades of medical progress have improved a patient’s odds of beating cancer. In fact, the overall 5-year-survival rates of cancers in Singapore have tripled from 22.6% in the late 1970s to 61.4% by January 2026.

While prognosis varies by individual factors like age, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions and the stage of the illness, these cancers are highly responsive to treatment when detected early.      

1. Non-melanoma skin cancer: 93.8% - 97.3%

• The symptoms (such as unusual growth or bumps on sun-exposed skin) are easy to spot at the earliest stage.
• Basal cell carcinoma, the most common type, rarely spreads to other areas of the body. 
• Once a month, do a full-body skin self-exam and look out for moles and spots that keep changing in appearance. Use the ABCDE method to spot a potentially cancerous mole. 

2. Thyroid cancer: 89% - 90.3%

• Thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck responsible for regulating metabolism, energy, and growth.
• Thyroid cancer happens when cells in the gland undergo a mutation and spread uncontrollably. 
• Papillary, the most common type of thyroid cancer that comprise nearly 90% of the cases, grow slowly and are often detected during routine health screenings. 

3. Breast cancer: 84.2%

• Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Singapore.
• Early detection can make a big difference. In Singapore, more than 57% of the cases are now detected as early as Stage 1.
• Screening is typically done via mammograms. You can also perform a self-exam to look out for abnormalities such as redness, abnormal swelling, or lumps.
• Health Promotion Board provides affordable access to mammograms. Screenings at selected polyclinics cost as little as S$0 for eligible Healthier - SG enrolled citizens!

4. Prostate cancer: 90.3%

• Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men in Singapore, but it’s highly treatable at the earliest stages, with a five-year survival.
• Early symptoms can be subtle. It includes difficulty passing urine, needing to urinate more frequently, and loss of appetite. 
• Due to the tumour’s slow growth, active surveillance is often recommended over aggressive treatments.

5. Testicular cancer: over 95%

• While rare overall, this is the most common type of cancer for male patients aged 20 to 40.
• In 90% of cases, this cancer develops when germ cells in the affected testicles clump together, forming a mass or tumour.
• Early-stage patients reported a cure rate of more than 95% with timely and appropriate treatment.
• To detect this cancer before it spreads, carry out monthly testicular self-exams by looking out for unusual lumps or changes in size.

6. Colorectal cancer: 64.2 - 64.6%

• This is the most common cancer in Singapore, with 1,200 new cases diagnosed each year.
• This cancer typically begins as benign polyps that can be detected during a colonoscopy and removed on the spot before they develop.
• If you are 50 or above, you are encouraged to screen for colorectal cancer once a year and get a colonoscopy every 5 to 10 years.
• Early signs of colorectal cancer can be detected with a simple and non-invasive Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT). Simply collect your FIT kit from a Healthier SG provider to get started!

7. Lymphoma: approximately 63% (for all types of lymphoma)

• This cancer affects the lymphatic system, part of our body’s immune system. 
• Patients usually notice the sign of lymphoma due to the swelling of their lymph nodes. 
• There are two types of lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma involves a specific white blood cell called Reed-Sternberg, while cases that don’t involve this cell is classified as non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 
• Hodgkin Lymphoma is generally more treatable due to its predictable movement. While most cancers spread in a random pattern, Hodgkin Lymphoma moves in an orderly way from one cluster of lymph node to the next. This predictability makes it an effective target for precise radiation or localised therapy.

8. Uterine cancer: 73.3%

• Uterine cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer among women, with 70% of cases affecting women over 50. 
• This cancer is considered highly curable, with over 90% cure rate if discovered early and confined to the uterus. 
• Early symptoms include irregular menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and abdominal swelling. 

9. Kidney cancer: 67.4%

• In Singapore, kidney cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among men, with most patients ranging between 40 to 70 years old when diagnosed.
• In about two-third of cases, this cancer is discovered during routine check-ups.
• Close to 50% of cases in Singapore are diagnosed in Stage 1, with a 5-year survival rate of around 90%. 

10. Cervical cancer: 62.4%

• Cervical cancer is the 10th most common cancer among women in Singapore, but it’s highly preventable and treatable. 
• The HPV vaccine, usually taken between the age of 9 and 26, can reduce your risk of developing cervical cancer.  
• Pap smear test and HPV test can help you detect pre-cancer changes in your cervix early. If you are a woman aged between 25 and 65 who have been sexually active, get yourself screened regularly! 

Cancer is most beatable in the earliest stages. Here's what you can do to stay proactive.

1. Make time for screenings

• Healthier SG offers subsidised health screenings for eligible Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. Find out what screenings you are eligible for here. 

2. Listen to your body

• At the earliest stages, cancer symptoms can be as subtle as normal aches. Always follow up on unusual signs or physical discomfort with your General Practitioner!

3. Plug the gap

• Cancer can be financially draining. Be prepared by enhancing your coverage. 
  • GREAT Critical Cover: A comprehensive plan that provides 100% payout for every critical illness claim and flexibility in coverage. 
  • Great SupremeHealth: Minimise your out-of-pocket hospitalisation expenses with this Medisave-approved Integrated Shield Plan, and supplement it with GREAT TotalCare 2.
  • Cancer Guard: Ease your mind with a regular premium term plan that provides 100% payout upon cancer diagnosis at any stage.

Sources on five year-survival rates: 

• Five-year survival rates were based on 2019-2023 data for ten most frequent incident cancers in males and females, Singapore Cancer Registry, Annual Report 2023 (Published Jan 2026 by the National Registry of Diseases Office), Page 40 https://www.nrdo.gov.sg/publications
• The five-year survival rate for Early-Stage Testicular Cancer is more than 95%, according to SingHealth’s page on Testicular Cancer. https://www.singhealth.com.sg/symptoms-treatments/testicular-cancer