Cancer is a major public health and economic issue, and its burden is set to spiral. That is why cancer advocates and health champions discussed in a media forum the importance of a whole-of-society approach in improving cancer control programs in the country.
Present during the forum were Senator JV Ejercito, a health champion in the Senate; Dr. Priscilla B. Caguioa, member of the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology; Cancer Survivors Engr. Emer Rojas and Jojo Flores; and Carmen Auste, Vice President of Cancer Coalition Philippines.
In the Philippines, cancer is the third leading cause of death with 250 Filipinos dying every day because of this deadly disease. With this, 11 families lose their loved ones every hour. 16 Filipinos are diagnosed with cancer every hour, and their lives and that of their families will irrevocably be changed.
Cancer exhausts the mental and financial health not only of the patient but also their family. According to Senator Ejercito, “one of the biggest expenses of the Filipino family is medical expenses.” He also mentioned that while government institutions shoulder at least 30% of the patient’s expenses, roughly about 60% to 70% still come from the patient’s personal funds. To address this, the Republic Act No. 11215, or the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA), was signed last February 2019 to ease the medical and financial burden to cancer patients and their families. This includes specialized treatment facilities, medical funds, and medicine to be made available for cancer patients.
“The Universal Healthcare Act, the NICCA, are challenging, ambitious measures, but we can always try [to ensure that they are implemented]. It’s a work in progress and there is still a lot to do,” he shared.
Head and Neck Cancer Consciousness Week
The last week of April is recognized as Head and Neck Cancer Consciousness Week. Head and neck cancers are types of cancer that can start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, and salivary glands. Some of the symptoms are prolonged sore throat, red and white bumps inside the mouth, nosebleeds, and lumps in the nose, throat, or neck.
“Those are signs that might be more serious and should immediately be seen by a doctor,” Dr. Caguioa mentioned.
Risk factors for these cancers include smoking, alcohol consumption, occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals, prior radiation therapy, genetic factors, and infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
In the Philippines, at least 7,000 Filipinos get diagnosed with head & neck cancers in a year. Though this type of cancer contributes around 4.7% to new cancer cases in the country, it is still a burden on Filipino families whose member is afflicted with this disease
Dr. Caguioa, as well as head and neck cancer survivors Engr. Ever Rojas and Jojo Flores, emphasized the importance of early detection and treatment. “Cancer is a function of time. The sooner that it gets treated, the better,” Jojo Flores said.
Early detection is associated with choosing the type of treatment should screening yield a positive result because different stages of cancer require different combinations of treatment. A combination of chemotherapy and radiation treatment are usually proposed for localized cancer; multiple lines of chemotherapy for metastatic (when cells that have spread to other areas) or recurrent disease; or surgery to remove an existing tumor.
While many patients with locally advanced disease are cured with some combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, other patients will develop recurrent or metastatic disease and are considered incurable. There are other treatment options to be considered by head and neck cancer patients such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that activates one’s immune system to fight cancer. Meanwhile, targeted therapy uses drugs designed to “target” cancer cells without affecting normal cells.
A call for solidarity
Financial challenges have always been a primary factor in the late detection and treatment of any illnesses in the Philippines. Engr. Ever Rojas and Jojo Flores mentioned that the first thing a patient asks is not whether they would survive, but how much will the treatments cost. As such, the Universal Healthcare Act and the NICCA are important in easing the financial burden of Filipino patients.
To ensure that these landmark health legislations are properly implemented and adequately funded, a Call for Solidarity against Cancer was drafted by patient groups and cancer advocates to appeal to the government to increase funding and progressively implement the provisions of the NICCA, “mindful of the need to act with urgency, because cancer does not wait.” Cancer patients need our timely support and interventions if they are to beat cancer and have healthier, more productive, and brighter futures.
The solidarity statement also highlights the need to intensify and expand public and private collaboration in cancer care. Ultimately, cancer patients, survivors, their families, as well as cancer advocate groups, are also called to augment conversations on cancer care, treatment, and life after cancer.
According to Carmen Auste, six out of the 12 promises in the NICCA law are already seeing progress yet are not being fully utilized by patients and survivors. One of these is the ability for cancer patients and survivors to claim a Person with Disability (PWD) card from their local government unit by providing their medical certificate.
Auste also emphasized that there is HOPE for cancer patients. A cancer diagnosis is often considered a death sentence, but the field of medicine is developing and for many types of cancer there are effective treatments and even tools that help prevent the disease. In fact, patients are living longer and having a better quality of life now.
These things and the promises of NICCA are what the Call for Solidarity against Cancer wants to augment. The Call for Solidarity against Cancer was signed by the Cancer Coalition Philippines and Cancer Warriors Foundation, Inc. Following its soft launch during the forum, it will be presented to other patient groups, legislators, and other cancer champions, to show their support in streamlining cancer care nationwide.