According to the United Nations’ “World Population Ageing 2017” report, Singapore’s population is expected to grow by 5.7 million to 6.6 million between 2017 and 2050.1 Close to 40% of Singaporeans are expected to be over 60 years old by 2050.2 This dramatic increase in the elderly population is...

Individuals ≥65 years old are termed elderly. In the literature, a distinction is made between those aged 65–74 years, described as “early elderly” (EE), and those aged ≥75 years, known as “late elderly” (LE). In surgical practice, there is evidence that advanced age is an important risk factor for...

The burden of care for an ageing population on health services is a growing concern in developed countries. In Singapore, the life expectancy of its residents has risen from 79.1 years in 2003 to 82.4 years in 2013. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Sarcopenia is prevalent in the ageing population and is associated with frailty. According to the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia (AWGS), its prevalence in Asians ranges from between 4.1% to 11.5%. The incidence of sarcopenia is also likely to be higher in populations with chronic disease. This article is available...

The 2 main challenges in initial management of primary breast cancer, at diagnosis, are as follows: 1) Which patients with oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumours should receive surgery versus primary endocrine therapy (PET)? (Breast cancer in older women tends to be ER-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative. This article...