BREAST cancer was listed as the most common type of cancer in women in the Philippines, with the highest incidence rate of 17.6-percent, accounting for 15-percent of all new cancer cases and 8-percent of all cancer deaths in the country.
Three out of 100 Filipino women are estimated to develop breast cancer before the age of 75.
The Philippines had the highest prevalence of breast cancer among 197 countries in 2017.
More than half (53%) of breast cancers in the country are diagnosed in Stages III and IV, while only 2%–3% of cases are diagnosed in Stage I.
In addition, up to one-third of patients with early-stage breast cancer will subsequently develop metastatic disease.
Metastatic breast cancer is the most serious form of the disease and occurs when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the brain, bones or liver, the doctors revealed.
Advanced breast cancer comprises metastatic breast cancer (stage 4) and locally advanced breast cancer (stage 3).
Survival rates for women living with advanced breast cancer are lower than those for women with earlier-stage disease.
The 5-year relative survival rate for stage 3 breast cancer is approximately 72% compared to around 22% for stage 4 breast cancer.
Despite improvements in breast cancer care, many patients still lack targeted therapeutic options outside of the standard chemotherapy and endocrine therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.
True, the doctors’ assessment that the breast cancer is no longer a death sentence, and breast cancer survivorship has come a long way in recent years.
Only, having those innovative treatments offering women a greater chance than ever before to live healthy, fulfilling lives following their diagnosis. This approach has not only improved survival rates, but it has also led to an increased focus on quality of life for breast
cancer survivors.
By reducing side effects and other complications, innovative treatments (such as targeted therapy) have given women the opportunity to reclaim their lives after treatment, returning to work, family, and other activities with greater confidence and energy.
The healthcare framework is also shifting to prioritize early detection and comprehensive patient care, Novartis shared in the breast cancer series.
The air of positivism reverberates to beat that Big C. It starts from the patients and their relatives themselves.#
