Breast Cancer in the Philippines: Signs, Screening, Treatment

How common is breast cancer in the Philippines?

The latest GLOBOCAN estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the WHO, put new breast cancer cases in the Philippines at 28,124 for 2024. That makes it the most common cancer in the country, at nearly one in five of all new cancers (18.8%). Among women it accounts for about one in three new cancers (31.7%).

The same estimates count 11,160 breast cancer deaths in 2024. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Filipino women and the second overall, after lung cancer. About 78,000 people in the country are living within five years of a breast cancer diagnosis.

A 2022 review in Preventive Medicine Reports found that most Filipino patients are diagnosed when the cancer is already advanced. The authors linked this to high out-of-pocket costs, health workers and equipment being concentrated in the capital, and the lack, at the time, of an organised national screening programme. This is why it matters so much for families to know the signs and to act on them early.

Warning signs of breast cancer (cancer sa suso)

See a doctor if you notice any of the following changes in a breast or under the arm. The WHO advises that anyone with an unusual breast lump should get it checked, even if it does not hurt.

Most breast lumps and changes are not cancer. Cysts, hormonal changes before a period and some medicines can cause breast soreness or pain. Breast cancer usually does not cause pain, though, so a painless lump still needs to be checked. Men can get breast cancer too, but it is rare: the WHO says about 0.5 to 1% of breast cancers occur in men.

• A lump or a thick or firm area in or near the breast or under the arm, often painless
• A change in the size or shape of the breast
• Skin changes: dimpling or puckering, redness or darkening, swelling, or scaly or itchy skin
• Nipple changes: a nipple that turns inward, flattens or changes shape, or discharge that is not breast milk, especially if bloody
• Any change that is new for you, even if a recent mammogram was normal

Screening and early detection

The WHO says breast cancer is more likely to be treated successfully when it is found early. This depends on two things: recognising symptoms and getting checked promptly, and screening women who have no symptoms, usually with a mammogram. Advice on when to start differs between countries and groups. The WHO describes mammography screening as usually for women aged 50 to 69. The American Cancer Society says women at average risk have the option to start yearly mammograms at 40, should have them every year from 45 to 54, and can switch to every two years (or keep yearly) from 55. Ask your doctor what is right for you.

Women at higher risk may need to start earlier, often around age 30, and have a breast MRI as well as a mammogram. According to the American Cancer Society, this includes women with a high lifetime risk because of family history, a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene change, or radiation to the chest before age 30.

Breast self-exams alone are not enough for screening. Still, every woman should know how her breasts normally look and feel and report any change to a doctor right away. If something is found, the doctor may order a diagnostic mammogram or other tests, and a biopsy if needed. Most biopsy results are not cancer, but a biopsy is the only way to know for sure.

How breast cancer is treated

Treatment is planned mainly around the type of breast cancer and its stage. The doctor also considers the person's overall health, whether she has gone through menopause, and her own wishes. Lab tests on the biopsy check whether the cancer has hormone receptors (ER and PR) or the HER2 protein, and these results help decide which medicines are used. Many people receive more than one kind of treatment, some before surgery and some after.

Every treatment can cause side effects, so tell the care team about any problems instead of quietly stopping. The WHO notes that treatment works better when it is started early and taken to completion, and that partial treatment is less likely to give a good result. For some patients, joining a clinical trial may also be an option to discuss with the oncologist.

• Surgery: removing the tumour (lumpectomy, also called breast-conserving surgery) or the whole breast (mastectomy). One or more lymph nodes under the arm may also be removed to check for spread. Most people with early-stage breast cancer have some type of surgery.
• Radiation therapy: a local treatment aimed at the area with cancer, planned by a radiation oncologist.
• Chemotherapy: medicines that reach cancer cells throughout the body, given by a medical oncologist before or after surgery.
• Hormone therapy: for hormone receptor-positive cancers. These medicines stop hormones from attaching to the cancer cells and help lower the risk of the cancer coming back.
• Targeted therapy: medicines aimed at specific features of the cancer cells, such as medicines that target the HER2 protein in HER2-positive breast cancer.
• Immunotherapy: may be used for some triple-negative breast cancers.

Where families can get help with costs

Several government programmes help Filipino families pay for breast cancer care. Their rules, amounts and lists of partner hospitals change often, so confirm the details with the agency itself or with the medical social service office of your hospital.

Keep copies of the medical abstract, biopsy result, treatment protocol, prescriptions and valid IDs in one folder. Most assistance programmes ask for some or all of these. The DSWD, for example, asks for a medical certificate or abstract issued within the past three months.

• PhilHealth Z Benefit for breast cancer: expanded in 2024 under PhilHealth Circular 2024-0007 to cover stages 0 to 4, including members already in treatment. Ask the Z Benefits coordinator at a PhilHealth-contracted hospital how to apply.
• DOH Cancer Assistance Fund: set up under the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (RA 11215) to support cancer medicine and treatment assistance. Breast cancer is one of its priority cancers, and help is given through DOH-designated hospitals (access sites). Ask your hospital's social service office or the DOH regional office which hospitals take part.
• DSWD Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS): medical help in cash or as a guarantee letter for medicines and hospital bills, after an assessment by a social worker.
• PCSO Medical Access Program: guarantee letters for medicines and treatment. Check the current requirements with the PCSO.
• Office of the Vice President and Office of the President: medical assistance through guarantee letters. Confirm requirements with each office.
• Malasakit Centers: one-stop shops in DOH hospitals and the Philippine General Hospital, where the DOH, DSWD, PhilHealth and PCSO help patients in one place.
• Philippine Cancer Society: patient navigation, help finding medical assistance, and support groups for patients and families.

Getting the medicines your doctor prescribes

Breast cancer medicines need a doctor's prescription and should come from a licensed supplier. Follow the oncologist's prescription exactly, and never change, skip or substitute a medicine without asking the oncologist first.

2MG Inc. is a Philippine FDA-licensed drug importer, distributor and wholesaler in Las Piñas City that specialises in oncology and hematology medicines. A pharmacist checks every prescription, and medicines that must stay cold are shipped in cold-chain packaging. 2MG is an accredited provider for guarantee letters from the PCSO, DSWD, Office of the Vice President and Office of the President, and issues official price quotations for assistance applications; the PCSO asks for three quotations from different suppliers, and a 2MG quotation counts as one of them. Senior citizens and PWDs get the 20% discount and VAT exemption on medicines. A guarantee letter and the Senior Citizen/PWD discount cannot be used on the same order; our team can tell you which one saves you more. For costs, see our price list.