A Small Matter: The Pitfalls of Annual Health Checks

Most of us, in our thirties and forties, always feel our health is still okay, and we tend to put off health check-ups as much as possible. However, many serious illnesses, especially cancer, have almost no symptoms in the early stages. By the time you "feel something is wrong," it often is no longer early.

Annual health checks really shouldn't be a mere formality.

Here's a pitfall many people don't know about: the basic packages offered by health check-up institutions often don't include many key items; we need to actively select and add them ourselves. If you only do the default package, you might miss the most important things to check.

Here are the key recommended add-on items:

Strongly Recommended Add-ons (Check directly)

· Low-dose chest CT: Basic packages usually only include a chest X-ray, which is almost useless for early-stage lung cancer. Low-dose CT is the gold standard for lung cancer screening. Spending an extra hundred or two makes a completely different difference.

· Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy: Most packages don't include them; they require separate appointments. Recommended for those over 40, and for those with a family history, it should be done at 30. The cure rate for early-stage stomach and colon cancer is very high; late-stage is a different story.

· Thyroid Ultrasound: Thyroid cancer is highly prevalent, especially among women. Many packages don't include it or only offer palpation, which is meaningless. An ultrasound should be added. (Mentioned in another tweet, it's a 'lazy cancer' with a relatively good prognosis).

· Helicobacter Pylori Test (C13 Urea Breath Test): Directly related to stomach cancer. Just blow into a tube, cheap and simple.

· Tumor Marker Panel (CEA, AFP, CA199, etc.): Just a few extra blood tests. Serves as a reference for auxiliary screening, inexpensive but needs to be checked yourself.

Additional Items for Women

· Breast Ultrasound (Mammogram can be added for those over 40): Basic packages sometimes only include a physical examination by a surgeon, which is far from enough.

· Cervical TCT + HPV Test: Some packages only include one; it's recommended to do both.

Additional Items for Men:

· Prostate PSA Test — Add for those over 45, just a blood draw.

Another equally important but often overlooked matter:

Please buy a critical illness insurance policy for the main breadwinner of your family—yourself.

Buy it while you're young and healthy; the premiums are cheaper and you're less likely to be denied coverage.

Choose a pure critical illness policy, don't opt for bundled savings/return types (expensive and low value for money). The sum assured should cover at least 300,000 to 500,000. Read the policy terms carefully regarding the definition and claim conditions for high-incidence cancers.

Please do what needs to be done while you are still healthy.

Adding items to your health check costs a few hundred extra.

A critical illness policy costs one to two thousand a year.

What you get in return is peace of mind and a safety net to fall back on.