It is undeniable there is an increasing rate of Malaysians being diagnosed and battling the big C, with a majority of them being women. Based on the National Cancer Registry of Malaysia (NCR) records, 21,773 Malaysians are diagnosed with cancer. The Ministry of Health estimates that one in four Malaysians will develop cancer by the time they are 75 years old. Cancer is the bane of our existence, and while we can earnestly pray to be spared the agony, there are measures that can be taken for early detection. When we talk about early detection, many people would think of the cancer markers (better known medically as the tumour markers) which are readily tested at many of the commercial health labs. However, these tests are not developed to be used on its own to screen for any cancer. Find out more at To Test or Not To (Star, 23 July)