It takes a team to conquer cancer

MANILA, Philippines - Whoever called cancer a “silent killer” obviously hasn’t heard about the alarming statistics of the deadly disease. According to a five-year average study from 2000 to 2005 conducted by the Department of Health, cancer is the third cause of mortality in the Philippines  breast cancer afflicts many females, while males suffer largely from lung cancer. As cancer cases in this country are most often diagnosed during their advanced stages, one in every two new cases of cancers diagnosed annually will die, says a report by Filipino physicians Corazon A. Ngelangel and Edward HM Wang published in the Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology (February 1, 2002 32: 52-61).

Fortunately, cancer can be beaten, maybe not by a miracle pill just yet, but by a team of physicians and health workers committed to saving a patient’s life. At premier health institution Makati Medical Center, conquering cancer comes by way of a center dedicated to addressing the needs of a patient afflicted with the disease.

Located on the first floor of what used to be the operating rooms, MakatiMed’s new Cancer Center “houses everything in one roof,” says center co-director Dr. Victor Gozali. “This makes it more efficient and convenient for both doctors and their patients.” On the fringes of the facility are the pain management center as well as a radiation oncology planning system, where doctors assess a patient’s specific radiation requirements via computer before sending him or her down to radiology on the ground floor for the actual treatment. The center also features a pediatric infusion room and an adult infusion room, separate areas for chemotherapy that can accommodate a total of 15 patients simultaneously. A pharmacy, consultation room, and conference room complete the newly renovated facility.

MakatiMed’s Cancer Center is designed after the multidisciplinary approach to the disease, wherein doctors from different specialties come together to assess a patient’s case and determine the best plan for treatment. Surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists are usually present during an initial consultation, thereby allowing a patient to get expert opinion right there and then. “They can also ask questions about the treatment and their options, and get to know the doctors better if they intend to work in the long-term with them,” says Dr. Gozali.

Given each patient’s unique case, doctors from other specialties may also be asked to join in the consultation; thus, solutions on how to fight cancer are never the same. “Sometimes, surgery may not be the first or only solution,” points out Dr. Gozali. “If a patient has a big mass, maybe we can try chemotherapy first to make it smaller before proceeding to other modalities of treatment.”

“Or maybe chemotherapy isn’t even necessary if the cancer is caught early enough,” adds the Cancer Center’s co-director Dr. Ma. Belen Tamayo. “Whatever the plan, the patient is aware from the start and empowered to make an informed decision.”

Individuals in white lab gowns aren’t the only key players of the multidisciplinary approach. Family members and loved ones are encouraged to attend patient consultations, and MakatiMed has, for years, been a staunch advocate of various cancer awareness programs. Every October, for instance, the hospital launches a series of activities on breast cancer awareness for caregivers and lay people.

Hospital with a heart: The newly inaugurated MakatiMed Cancer Center is designed after the hospital’s multidisciplinary approach to the disease, wherein doctors from different specialties come together to assess a patient’s case and determine the best plan for treatment.

Can there ever be a cure for cancer? Recent developments have made doctors Gozali and Tamayo hopeful. There’s already a vaccination protecting women against cervical cancer, and a hepatitis vaccine said to stave off liver cancer. Researchers have also reportedly singled out the genes responsible for some cancers.

The most encouraging development, however, comes from patients’ growing awareness of early detection and preventive measures. Dr. Gozali knows about a 23-year-old patient who consulted the clinic for a suspicious breast lump and underwent a biopsy. True enough, the biopsy revealed she had stage 2 cancer, a condition she would not have known had she not insisted on the test. Meanwhile, Dr. Tamayo is diagnosing cancers in their early stages  “a good sign,” she says, compared to the stage 3 and 4 cancers she used to discover in patients during her initial years of practice.

“We never seem to capture it early enough,” rues Dr. Tamayo. “But imagine if we could detect breast cancer before it even manifests as a tiny lump in the breast. In the US, Canada, and Europe, a screening mammography, occasionally with breast ultrasound, is a must for every female above 40. These tests can detect early, unusual changes in the breast. It would be good if we adopt the same practice here in the Philippines, as early detection can make significant headway into the treatment and cure of the disease.”

Beating cancer before it even begins its deadly assault seems to be the goal of doctors these days. It certainly helps to know that you don’t have to go about this fight alone. “We can win over cancer,” asserts Dr. Tamayo. “If we work together, we can come up with the appropriate solution for the patient. We’re here to provide the best care for you.”