- The current state of cancer care in the Philippines
- The need for more education around cancer prevention and seeking treatment early
- The technologies and treatments available to help detect and treat cancer in the Philippines
Health experts share view on current state of cancer care in the Philippines.
- Cancer is one of the Philippines’ top causes of death, claiming 56,000 lives per year.
- Increasing number of new cancer cases worldwide is alarming and becoming more pressing for institutions like Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMS) to pursue strategic interventions.
- CSMC’s latest effort to meet the Philippines’ needs on cancer care is the installation of the GE Discovery™ PET/CT 710, which features high sensitivity, advanced protocol flexibility, and high-definition image reconstruction to help doctors recommend the best possible tailor regimen for patients, while minimizing radiation.
Early diagnosis key to preventing cancer, experts advise
Despite the increasing number of cancer deaths worldwide, the
World Health Organization (WHO) reiterates that between 30-50 percent
of cancers can be prevented by interventions such as lifestyle
changes and early screening.
1
In
the Philippines, cancer claims the lives of 56, 000 Filipinos a year,
making it one of the country’s top causes of death.2
Top cancer killers in the Philippines include breast, lung,
colorectal, liver and cervical cancers. 3
According
to the World Health Organization, cancer was responsible for nearly
8.8 million deaths in 2015, a number that could reach 17 million by
2030.4
“The
increasing number of new cancer cases worldwide is alarming and it
becomes more pressing for us to pursue strategic interventions,”
said Dr. Christine Gruenberg of the Cardinal Santos Medical Center
(CSMC).
Diagnosed
too late
Cancer
symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, fever, fatigue, and skin
changes are often mistaken for common illnesses that by the time of
diagnosis, the tumors have already spread to other parts of the
body.5
Though
one third of cancer deaths are due to behavioral and dietary risks
namely high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of
physical activity, tobacco use, and alcohol use, factors such as
family history, physical environment, and infectious agents like HPV
also contribute to the rise of cancer incidence worldwide.6
Patients’
survival chances also get slimmer when their cancer is diagnosed at a
late stage. Aside from lower likelihood of survival, delayed
diagnosis also causes serious treatment-related side effects and
higher healthcare costs.7
Better
cancer outcomes
The
WHO identified three steps that can help improve diagnosis: improving
awareness, capacity building, and ensuring treatment access. 8
Treatment
methods cannot begin, however, if there is no pathologic confirmation
of the disease. This is why the availability of advanced healthcare
technology matters in improving diagnosis, said GE Healthcare
Philippines Country Manager Ivan Arota.
“Just
like all other health challenges, addressing the burden of cancer
requires a multi-sectoral approach. Our work as a healthcare
solutions provider does not stop with the development of innovative
medical equipment,” Arota said.
“We
help build on the diagnostic capacity of healthcare workers pursuant
to the recommendations of the WHO,” he added.
CSMC’s latest effort to meet the Philippines’ needs on cancer care is the installation of the Discovery™ PET/CT 710. The Discovery PET/CT 710 features high sensitivity, advanced protocol flexibility, and high-definition image reconstruction to help doctors recommend the best possible tailor regimen for patients, while minimizing radiation.
A
PET-CT scan is an invaluable diagnostic tool in cancer care that
simultaneously performs two individual tests to detect cancer and
determine its stage. The highly sensitive PET scan detects the
metabolic signal of actively growing cancer cells - a key element in
the diagnostic process; while the CT scan creates a detailed image of
abnormal cancerous tissues inside the body, including their location
and size.
To identify any abnormalities, a radiopharmaceutical marker
called Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is injected into the patient. The PET
scanner picks up the signal produced by the marker, creating images
of the FDG distribution in the body. Combined, a PET-CT scan provides
doctors with comprehensive information on the disease and allows them
to plan treatment effectively.
“When healthcare providers recommend treatment options to cancer patients, they rely heavily on data generated by equipment and other tools. We can’t compromise quality and efficient monitoring because lives are at stake,” said CSMC Medical Director Dr. Zenaida Javier-Uy.
“The addition of a PET/CT in CSMC’s range of equipment and services will help us in our commitment to provide improved cancer care and better clinical outcomes for our patients,” Dr. Javier-Uy added.
About GE:
GE
(NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming
industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are
connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global
exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each
business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure
and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and
application across our industrial sectors. With people, services,
technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by
speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com
1
World Health Organization Media centre
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/
2
World Health Organization Cancer Country Profile Philippines
http://www.who.int/cancer/country-profiles/phl_en.pdf?ua=1
3
International Agency for Research on Cancer GLOBOCAN 2012
http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/fact_sheets_population.aspx
4
The global burden of cancer: priorities for prevention
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802672/
5
American Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/signs-and-symptoms-of-cancer.html
6
World Health Organization Media centre
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/ ; American
Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/signs-and-symptoms-of-cancer.html
7
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/cancer/prevention/diagnosis-screening/en/
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