Cancer develops when cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Although there are many kinds of cancer, they all start because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells.

Normal body cells grow, divide, and die in an orderly fashion. During the early years of a person’s life, normal cells divide more rapidly until the person becomes an adult. After that, cells in most parts of the body divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells and to repair injuries.

Because cancer cells continue to grow and divide, they are different from normal cells. Instead of dying, they outlive normal cells and continue to form new abnormal cells.

Cancer cells develop because of damage to DNA. This substance is in every cell and directs all its activities. Most of the time when DNA becomes damaged, the body is able to repair it. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not repaired. People can inherit damaged DNA, which accounts for inherited cancers.

Highest Ranking Cancers, 1998-2002,
All Singapore Residents *

1. Colo-rectum Cancer 6,101 persons
2. Breast Cancer 5,500 persons
3. Lung Cancer 5,168 persons
4. Prostate Cancer 1,346 persons
5. Cervix Cancer 1,033 persons

*source: Singapore Cancer Registry Report No. 6