Cancer and medical tourism | Inquirer Opinion

This is a poorly written article but what's important is the "true
extent" of the Chinese "Medical Tourism". Beware!! However, I was quite
surprised to see some of the Chinese write ups in mainstream high impact
journals. Although, they are doing retrospective studies on huge data
sets but fact of the matter is that it's pretty bad there in the land of
Hans.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/22231/cancer-and-medical-tourism

While health and tourism officials as well as health institutions are
doing their best to promote medical tourism in the Philippines by way of
drawing foreign patients to avail of Filipino medical expertise, Chinese
hospitals are beating them through aggressive advertising right in our
own home ground. This is especially so in the cancer department. But
this is getting ahead of the story.

The third week of January being national Cancer Consciousness Week and
Feb. 4 being World Cancer Day, the Philippine Society of Medical
Oncology (PSMO) recently held a press conference to brief the media on
the national cancer situation and other related issues. PSMO's campaign
theme is "Fighting Cancer: Education, Prevention, Treatment."

Founded in 1969, PSMO is a scientific, professional organization of
medical oncologists (now numbering 146) committed to the advancement of
the science and the ethical and holistic practice of medical oncology.
This means active participation in national programs and campaigns to
promote cancer awareness and safe practices in the field of medical
oncology for optimal patient results.

The national picture is not pretty. Studies from 2008 to 2010 have shown
a steady increase in cancer incidence. PSMO cited Globocan research
estimates that in 2012, new cancer cases (in men and women) will be
roughly 82,460. The top cancer sites in women include breast, cervix,
uterus and lungs, while in men they are lungs, liver, colon/rectum and
prostate.

The good news is that more advocacy groups are spreading cancer
awareness. Said PSMO president Dr. Felycette Gay Lapus, "Every day is
cancer consciousness day for us. We seek to arm the public with as much
information as possible. Prevention is the ultimate goal, but if that
can't be achieved, it is important to get proper and safe treatment as
early as possible."

PSMO vice president Dr. Ellie May Villegas said that earlier detection
and better treatment have resulted in decreased cancer deaths (18
percent) in the United States since the 1990s, reversing decades of
increases. "Hopefully, the Philippines will follow suit," she added.

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