Davao group beefs up cancer awareness campaign

DAVAO CITY -- The Davao Cancer Society beefed up its awareness campaign to reach out to women to submit for regular physical check up.

Dr. Alex Tan, vice president of the Davao Cancer Society said the situation is quiet alarming even as he cited that out of 100,000 population of Filipinas, 47 have breast cancer.

He said there are three risk factors namely, hereditary, early menstruation and late menopause.

Among the cancer cases he said breast cancer is number one, followed by cervical then the colon.

Although he did not recommended what diet to follow he said the Japanese women are of low risk in breast cancer saying that maybe because of their lifestyle and their diet mostly of fish and vegetables compared to that in the US when their diet is of high protein meat food.

Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) growth that begins in the tissues of the breast and the most common cancer in women.

Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way.

Tan stressed however that cancer is curable if treated at an early stage.

"Our group has beef up its awareness campaign as many women still do not submit for regular check up," he said.

He said women ages 50 and above must have a yearly test for mammography while 40 to 50 years old every other year. The procedure is not recommended for 40 years old and below but still must submit for physical check up.

Meanwhile, as part of their campaign Tan said a Breast Cancer Awareness Day will be undertaken by the Atty. Eugenia Marfori Celi Foundation on October 23 at SM Entertainment Center where a Breast Cancer Awareness Lecture for lay people will be held with the participation of Melissa de Leon, a breast cancer survivor.

There will also be personal testimonies of other breast cancer survivors, Tan said.

During the activity, he said a free breast examination and consultation of breast diseases will also be held. There will be free breast ultrasound, free breast fine needle aspiration biopsy, free drug samples for breast cancer patients. 

Spearheaded by the Davao Cancer Society, the event is supported by AMUMA Cancer Support Group Foundation, Inc., Philippine College of Surgeons, Manila, Philippine Society of General Surgeons, Inc. Marco Polo Hotel Davao, Jollibee and Philippine Airlines. (PNA)

LOR/Prix Digna D. Banzon/lvp

Doctors beef up campaign against prostate cancer in Davao City

A group of doctors has conducted symposium during a Prostate Cancer Awareness Day at SM City Davao Entertainment Center here.

The group also conducted consultation among males as their way of letting them understand the importance of having an examination.

Davao Cancer Society president Dr. Helen Grace Te-Santos, said prostate cases had turned out alarming because most of the male population did not submit themselves for check up.

“This kind of attitude is still common among males. That is why they deemed it urgent to call on all the males for an early detection check up,” Santos said.

She said with the increasing number of cases on prostate cancer, it is a must among males with ages 45 and above to submit for an annual check up as cases continue to increase because the male population does not want their selves examined for an early detection.

Prostate cancer is among the leading ailment in the Philippines, with lung cancer topping the list for overall cases followed by cancer of the breast, colon, liver, ovary and cervix.

"Our campaign will be continuing on cancer cases and next month we will delve on cases in the head and heart," she said.

Santos led a symposium with a group of doctors facilitating the discussion.

She said the examination of the prostate was the counterpart of the annual pap smear check up among women and this had to be a regular yearly check up.

Cancer of the prostate is the 6th most common for overall cancer cases but among males its 4th among males.

New cases, she said, in 2005 was at 4,254 and deaths at 2,571.

Citing the 2005 Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates, she said the median survival was 52 months. About 43.14 percent of the cases survived in five years while 30.74 percent survived 10 years.

Prostate cancer cases have significantly increased and expected to continue as the disease begins to rise steeply beginning at 55 years old.

Proper education would correct misconception about the disease, she said.

She said for an early detection, a test to assay prostatic antigen (PSA) is accurate enough to be used to detect prostate cancer, either as a screening method in asymptomatic men or in symptomatic individuals.

"If positive, a diagnostic biopsy is performed and if PSA test is not available, biopsy or suspicious areas in the enlarged prostate, detected by rectal digital examination and/or transrectal ultrasound is done on symptomatic individuals. Annual transrectal digital rectal examination on asymptomatic men who are 50 years or older may detect early prostate and rectum cancer," she said.

She said increasing age is the most important risk factors and the increasing numbers of Filipino males who are 55 years and older is the main reason for the significant increase and expected continuing increase in incidence.

Males who start a healthy lifestyle early in life and are able to sustain the healthy habits throughout life may lower their individual risk of prostate cancer, she said. (PNA) PDB/lvp