Healthway Cancer Care Hospital (HCCH), the country’s pioneering specialty cancer facility, has launched its ‘Her Next Step’ campaign to strengthen comprehensive cancer care for women, highlighting new and expanded services from early detection and treatment to fertility preservation and survivorship.
Anchored on the message ‘Every Stage, A Stronger You,’ the campaign recognizes the individualized nature of cancer diagnosis and treatment and emphasizes the importance of supporting patients throughout their cancer journey.
Among the developments highlighted during the launch were the hospital’s new Brachytherapy Unit and a referral partnership with GenPrime Fertility Manila that provides appropriate oncology patients with access to fertility preservation services before undergoing cancer treatment.
HCCH also presented its expanded Women’s Health Services, which brings together screening, diagnostics, treatment and survivorship care.
Targeted radiation treatment
Brachytherapy is a form of radiation therapy commonly used to treat gynecologic cancers, including cervical, uterine, vaginal and vulvar cancers.
Unlike external beam radiation therapy, which delivers radiation from outside the body, brachytherapy involves placing a radiation source inside or immediately adjacent to the tumor. This allows radiation to be delivered directly to the treatment area while limiting exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.
Many brachytherapy treatments use high-dose-rate (HDR) technology, in which radiation is delivered over a relatively short period before the source is removed after the procedure. The number and duration of treatments vary depending on the type and stage of cancer and the patient’s individual treatment plan.
In appropriate cases, brachytherapy may be delivered on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home after treatment.
HCCH’s Brachytherapy Unit is located in the hospital’s Radiation Oncology Department on the lower ground level of its facility in Arca South, Taguig.
Preserving fertility
The campaign also puts emphasis on fertility preservation, recognizing that cancer treatment can affect a patient’s reproductive health and future family-planning options.
‘When someone is diagnosed with cancer, our immediate priority is to provide them with the best possible care and treatment. But caring for a patient also means looking beyond the cancer itself and considering their quality of life and the future they hope to have,’ said Dr. Manuel Fracisco Roxas, HCCH president and CEO.
HCCH has partnered with GenPrime Fertility Manila to give appropriate cancer patients access to fertility specialists before undergoing treatments that may affect their ability to have children in the future.
Located in Parañaque City, GenPrime Fertility Manila provides fertility assessments, fertility preservation and assisted reproductive services, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI). It is part of GenPrime Fertility’s international network, which includes clinics in Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Los Angeles.
The partnership brings together HCCH’s cancer care services and GenPrime’s reproductive healthcare capabilities, allowing fertility considerations to be incorporated into treatment planning when appropriate.
‘For patients who may want to have children someday, fertility can be an important part of that future. Our partnership with GenPrime Fertility Manila allows us to connect appropriate patients with fertility specialists early, so they have the opportunity to understand their options before treatment begins,’ Roxas said.
Four pillars of women’s cancer care
HCCH’s expanded Women’s Health Services is organized around four pillars: Know, Understand, Treat and Live.
The Know component focuses on prevention and early detection through specialized screening consultations, executive check-ups and HPV vaccination at VaxHub.
Under Understand, patients receive diagnostic services and multidisciplinary reviews, supported by international collaborations with institutions including City of Hope, National Cancer Center Singapore and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.
Treat brings together coordinated treatment options, including surgical packages, financial assistance for systemic therapies, external beam radiation and advanced brachytherapy.
The Live component focuses on long-term survivorship, with services that include rehabilitation, psychosocial support, fertility preservation through GenPrime, recurrence monitoring and palliative care.
Dedicated nurse navigation and referral pathways support patients as they move through the different stages of care.
‘As we approach Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this becomes even more meaningful. Awareness should not end with knowing that breast cancer exists. It should encourage women to take action-to understand their risk, pursue appropriate screening, seek answers when something changes, and have access to the right care when they need it,’ Roxas said.
For Dr. Ronald Augustine O. Campos, head of HCCH Gynecologic Oncology, the campaign represents another step toward fulfilling the vision of providing integrated women’s cancer care within the hospital.
Campos said the Women’s Health Center now covers a broad range of gynecologic cancer services, including screening and colposcopy, open and minimally invasive gynecologic oncology surgeries, complex benign procedures, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and fertility preservation.
‘This is more than a list of services. It means that a woman who walks through our doors with fear and uncertainty can find a team that can walk with her from diagnosis to treatment, to recovery, and preserve fertility, and hopefully to survivorship,’ Campos said.
‘In every diagnosis, there’s a story behind it. In every diagnosis, there’s a woman. Behind every woman is a family, and behind every family is a story, a hope, and a future that we are privileged to be part of,’ he said.
For consultations, the HCCH Women’s Health Clinic may be reached at (02) 7777 4724 or (0917) 128 3527.