American Chamber convenes experts for fight vs lung cancer

MANILA, Philippines — The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) convened medical experts, patient advocates and policymakers at the “Stronger Together: Uniting Sectors for Lung Cancer Prevention and Care” forum, where discussions were anchored on the Asia Pacific Lung Cancer Policy Consensus Document, a regional policy framework developed through the initiative.

Frederic Ivan Ting, clinician-scientist specializing in medical oncology, said the ASPIRE Framework outlines five policy pillars tailored for Asia-Pacific health systems: strengthened prevention, earlier detection, equitable access to treatment, deeper partnerships and stigma reduction.

He noted that patient profiles are also shifting, with more young adults and non-smokers being diagnosed, patterns tied to environmental factors, indoor pollution and second-hand smoke.

“Policies only become meaningful when services actually reach communities,” Ting said.

Ting added that modern treatment standards have moved beyond chemotherapy, with immunotherapy and targeted therapies offering significantly better survival and quality of life.

However, access in the Philippines remains limited due to high out-of-pocket costs, reinforcing the need for stronger government investment and improved PhilHealth support.

Paolo Borromeo, Health Care Sector Lead of the Private Sector Advisory Council, expressed support for the ASPIRE-aligned recommendations, noting that multi-sector collaboration, from government to private hospitals and industry partners, is essential to strengthen the lung cancer care pathway.

United Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Milagros Aquino Magsaysay identified gaps in service delivery and vowed to continue to push and work for improvements.