16/10/2026
โ๐ธ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก๐, 4 ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ค๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ 1 ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐, ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐.โ - Dr. Joanne Kim, International Agency for Research on Cancer scientist.
The month of October is the time everyone around the world unites to recognize breast cancer, and save lives by spreading awareness on early detection and access to available treatments. According to the World Health Organization (2024), 2.4 million women were diagnosed in 2024 with deaths amounting to 694,000 globally. Moreover, the Philippines ranks third among Asian countries, and has the highest mortality rate. This is because although advanced treatment has already emerged through the years, access to healthcare and proper knowledge have been limiting early detection, timely diagnosis, and comprehensive care. Only 2.45% of Filipino women have been screened, and 65% were diagnosed in the advanced stage.
To promote early detection, it is important to know the signs and symptoms to look out for. Warning signs include new lump in the breast or underarm, swelling of a part of the breast, dimpling of the skin, redness and pain around the ni**le, discharge including blood, and any change in the size or shape of the breast. Breast cancer is more common in females with a female-to-male ratio of 150:1. It was recorded that 75% occur in women older than 50 years old, but it can also occur in younger ones. If a person has a first-degree relative with breast cancer, risk increases by 30-50%. This is due to ๐๐๐๐1 and ๐๐๐๐2 inheritable genes. Other risk factors include increased lifetime exposure to estrogen, early menarche before age 12, use of exogenous hormones, late first full-term pregnancy after age 35, central obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, benign breast lesions, and radiation exposure.
According to PhilHealth Circular No. 2025-0024, the available screening tests in the country are clinical breast examination, mammogram, and breast ultrasound. Clinical breast examination is performed in all women starting 25 years old, 5-7 days after the menstrual period. Mammogram which is a low-dose X-ray detects early changes and is conducted every 2 years for women 40-69 years old. Breast ultrasound on the other hand can be performed yearly in high-risk patients. According to PhilHealth Circular 2025-0014, PhilHealth shall already cover the rates for both mammogram and ultrasound which are PHP 2,610 and PHP 1,350 respectively. Primary care physicians will request for the screening test and the patient will bring the form to the accredited cancer screening facility. The PhilHealth Z Benefits Package for breast cancer is already up to PHP 1.4 million covering stages 0 to 4. Aside from covering the screening test, PhilHealth also covers partial mastectomy, modified radical mastectomy, hormonotherapy, and cytotoxic chemotherapy. With the allotted budget, it can cover a maximum of 18 cycles.
With the efforts of doctors, researchers, public health, government, and private institutions, the gaps in healthcare access among breast cancer patients are being bridged little by little. It is now our role to spread awareness, lobby for more equitable healthcare, and honor the stories of each patient. By celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we hope for the day wherein all patients in the country will have access not only to screening and treatment, but also to the right to good health and a better life.
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Longo, D. L., Fauci, A. S., Kasper, D. L., Hauser, S. L., Jameson, J. L., Loscalzo, J., Holland, S. M., & Langford, C. A. (Eds.). (2025). Harrison's principles of internal medicine (22nd ed.). McGraw Hill.
International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2025, February 24). Breast cancer cases and deaths are projected to rise globally.https://www.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/pr361_E.pdf
World Health Organization. (2026, October 1). Breast cancer awareness month 2026. https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2026/10/01/default-calendar/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2026
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. (2025). Quality standards on the screening for breast cancer as reference of the Corporation (PhilHealth Circular No. 2025-0024).
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. (2024, April 6). Breast cancer benefit now up to Php 1.4 million. https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/news/up/article/2024/news_662705cc8e1ef.php
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Research and Write-up by ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น
Infographic by ๐๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ
