Cancer Compass: Guiding Patients Towards the Right Decisions in Cancer Care
This
October the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO) held their annual
cancer convention in partnership with the American Society of Clinical
Oncology. The convention, held appropriately during Breast Cancer Awareness
Month, brings together oncology experts from the Philippines and around the
world to discuss the latest research, innovations, and advances in cancer care.
This
yearly conference gives cancer care experts a venue to share new initiatives
and best practices. Discussions, news, and important research findings are then
shared with the media and the public to help push continued cancer education.
It is vital to persist in pushing awareness as studies show a steady increase
in global cancer incidence and in the Philippines in particular, with roughly
141,021 cases reported in 2018 alone. The top cancer sites for women include
breast, cervix, colorectal, lung, and ovary while for men lung, colorectal,
prostate, liver, and leukemia remain most common. Among the leading causes of
cancer in the country – breast, lung, liver, colorectal, and cervix – three are
preventable (lung, liver, and cervix) while the remaining two can be cured if
detected early (breast, colorectal).
On
October 11, 2018, PSMO held a press conference entitled “Cancer Compass:
Guiding Patients Towards the Right Decisions in Cancer Care.” At the event they
shared pertinent information about the current state of cancer in the
Philippines, the latest innovations in cancer treatments, step-by-step
reminders to consider when deciding on a course of treatment that is both
effective and safe, the importance of medicine regulation and approval, and the
steps the government is taking to provide more aid to Filipino cancer patients
including the National Integrated Cancer Control Act which – if passed into law
– will provide cancer centers throughout the country and dedicate funding to
cancer treatments and patient assistance.
“Cancer
care in the country has continued to expand and improve. The last five years
has seen a surge in the availability of world class cancer treatment modalities
in the Philippines,” shared Dr. Claire V. Soliman, PSMO President. “Surgeons can
now offer more minimally invasive procedures, new state-of-the-art radiation
therapies have emerged, and medicines other than chemotherapy and hormonal
therapy are now available such as targeted therapy, monoclonal antibodies, and
immunotherapy. Gone are the days of patients undergoing chemotherapy and
suffering from the side effects such as hair loss, vomiting, or loss of
appetite. New medications have less to no side effects and those that remain
can be ameliorated with adjunct medications.”
However
alongside the advent of new cancer therapies is the emergence of an increasing
number of alternative treatments to mainstream cancer care. While these may be
enticing to patients, it is still important to fully understand what these
alternative therapies can actually do – and what they can’t do – so patients
can make educated and informed decisions with their oncologists and doctors
about their treatment plan.
“As
information dissemination is one of PSMO’s main missions, we strive to arm the
public with as much information as possible about cancer treatment modalities,”
Dr. Ellie May Villegas, PSMO Multimedia Committee Member explained. “Patients
who chose alternative methods of treatment instead of standard research-backed
cancer care can face several risks including unknown side effects, safety and
effectively issues, quality control concerns, and potentially allowing tumors
and cancer to spread past the point that standard treatment may no longer
work.”
Patients
looking into alternative cancer treatments should also consider if these are
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved. Drugs, devices, and other
therapies that are FDA approved have been rigorously tested in clinical tries
to ensure that they are both safe and effective. Alternatively, products and
therapies that don’t have FDA approval are unlikely to help and may even be
harmful or interfere with doctor-prescribed treatments.
Should
patients wish to explore alternative methods it is safest to do so along with a
standard cancer care plan. “We understand that patients may want to explore
alternative treatments. Integrative oncology is a safe way for them to
integrate alternative therapies alongside their standard cancer treatment and
not in replacement of it,” Dr. Villegas asserted. “Integrative medicine is both
a science and philosophy that focuses on the complex health of people with
cancer and proposes an array of approaches to accompany conventional therapies
of surgery, chemotherapy, molecular therapeutics, and radiotherapy to
facilitate health.”
At
the end of the day, the most important thing for patients is still education
and knowing the facts. The more a patient is empowered with the facts, the more
they can make educated decisions with their doctors on the right course of safe
and effective treatment for them. With all the new innovations available,
cancer need not be a death sentence. Medical and technological advances have
resulted in more cancer patients surviving the dreaded disease. Innovative
cancer medicines backed by clinical trials, personalized health care, proper
and accurate diagnosis, targeted and biologic therapies, multidisciplinary
treatment, side-effect management, and major successes in previous cancer cases
have all contributed to better outcomes and improved quality of life.
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