With the disproportionate number of cancer patients in the Philippines vis-à-vis the accessibility of treatment, the Central Luzon Integrated Oncology Center (CLIOC) serves as the way of seamless cancer patient care journey and advanced treatments.

Last Oct. 19, CLIOC introduced at the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Medical Center (MTCMC) here Radixact, the most advanced radiation therapy machine in the Philippines.

“It is the only cancer centre in Central Luzon or Philippines offering Radixact, a radiation therapy machine that allows doctors to target the radiation beams onto the diseased tissue and spare the surrounding healthy tissue from radiation damage,” shares Melania Francisco, CLIOC medical physicist.

“On a case-to-case basis, Radixact radiation therapy can go hand-in-hand with chemotherapy. It has fewer side effects and possibly a lower number of treatments. The machine is very flexible and versatile in that it can rotate 360 degrees compared to a conventional one, this way it can target the damaged tissue and enhance localised treatment,” she furthered.

CLIOC general manager Jerome Paule, for his part, noted that integrated cancer care means bringing together the delivery and management of services related to treatment with patients’ interests as a priority.

This helps reduce the gaps encountered by patients from diagnosis to treatment to post-surgery care. “With integrated cancer care, the patient can easily access various modalities of cancer care such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, nutritional support and post-care treatment all within one shared care model,” he added.

CLIOC houses a multi-disciplinary team of specialists pursuing best practices at the MTCMC.

“I’m so thankful to CLIOC for bringing this Radixact here in the City of San Fernando because I know this machine will help our cancer patients in many ways by preserving their quality of life,” enthused Mayor Vilma Balle-Caluag.

Cancer patients also face many issues such as an increase in health care costs. “If there is a cancer patient in the family, the whole family is affected and here in CLIOC we understand that. Our goal is to help the patient through the process by giving better treatment options, providing a team of doctors and specialists and giving financial assistance through a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Health and LGUs,” said Paule.