Effective Detection of the Dreaded Colon (Colorectal) Cancer

Due to today's unhealthy and stressful lifestyle and  the proliferation of environmentally harmful & man-made toxic chemicals in all forms, cancer is now considered one of the most prevalent, destructive ailments known to man. Although cancer has been around since the earliest of our ancestors, it is only now where we're experiencing its widespread effects. I'm pretty sure each one of us has had a relative, friend or colleague who was diagnosed with, or worse, killed by cancer. In an article published in Men's Health, cancer is now the leading cause of man's death next only to heart disease.

From left to right: Dr. Ellie May B. Villegas (medical oncologist & Philippine Society of Medical Oncology vice president), Dr. Ramy Roxas (colorectal surgeon & ASEAN Society of Colorectal Surgeons president), Merla Rose Reyes (senior social insurance specialist, Philhealth) & Prof. Diena Oroceo (colorectal cancer survivor) during the "Join Our Bowel Movement" press forum held at Hotel Intercon, Makati City. Photo courtesy of Martin Punzalan of FAME Inc.

In a medical forum called "JOIN OUR BOWEL MOVEMENT" organized by Merck Serono, Philhealth and the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology attended by this humble blogger, the seriousness and extent of cancer, specifically colorectal cancer (CRC) or commonly known as colon cancer, was discussed extensively. 

Diagram of colorectal cancer

Attending this forum was for me an eye-opener in terms of the public's lack of information on its causes, cures and prevention. This dreaded disease I found out can be cured if detected early with a simple screen test  called KRAS or Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homology offered by both public and private hospitals. I was also surprised by its availability and easy access. Well KRAS in my humble understanding of the matter as provided by the event's press kit, is a post test of CRC tumors that determines the best possible treatment for the disease. I am publishing below an actual photo/diagram of a colorectal cancer tumor to give you a scare and encourage you to get a screen test for CRC immediately (LOL).

Kidding aside, I asked Dr. Ramy Roxas, one of the resource speakers and president of the ASEAN Society of Colorectal Surgeons, on how to prevent this type of cancer and his answer was simple but very sensible, "Get yourself screened as soon as possible even if you don't feel any symptoms." Of course, this is aside from doing all the right stuff such as eating healthy, exercising daily and just adopting a healthy & fit lifestyle.

To understand more about this dreaded cancer and the best possible treatments and early interventions such as the KRAS & KRAS Testing, visit their website www.merck.ph, www.merckserono.com, or call their Philippine office numbers at (02) 815-4067 & (02) 818-3632.

I am also publishing the full press release of the event below to give you a better understanding of KRAS and colorectal cancer.

Again, I enjoin everyone especially my dear readers to always be aware of everything especially matters regarding one's health. Who knows? You might be facing a life and death situation. I never knew the dangers and prevalence of colorectal cancer if it weren't for this informative forum.

Be aware, spread the word and let's all join the "Bowel Movement"!

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Press Release

KRAS biomarker guides Doctors on the most appropriate cancer therapy

Eight years ago, Reynaldo G., a 52 year old businessmen thought he had everything going great for him. His business was thriving well, he received awards for his accomplishments, and he was at the peak of his career.

He noted streaks of blood in his stools which he thought was just due to his hemorrhoids. He underwent an executive check-up and after his colonoscopy, it seemed like the world cave in on him when he was told by his attending physician that he had a tumor in his colon or large intestines.

Biopsy results confirmed that it was cancerous. He underwent surgery which cut a good part of his intestines  to get rid of the cancerous mass completely. He also underwent a complete course of anti-cancer chemotherapy. As of his latest check-up, there’s no indication of any tumor recurrence, and he’s considered cured of his colon cancer.

Not all patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are as lucky as Reynaldo. Some are diagnosed too late when the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body; or for some, the cancer cells may not be that responsive to the chosen chemotherapy.

A host of medical experts an  advocates held a press conference on March 22 to raise awareness on CRC and a the first biomarker in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, which helps determine the best anti-cancer therapy suitable for the patient who have a metastatic disease.

The KRAS (Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homology) determines the specific subtypes of CRC which will indicate the most suitable and effective targeted treatment for the patient. The majority of patients with CRC are in the KRAS Wild type (65 percent) while Mutant KRAS is found in 35 percent of cases. Having the tumors screened for KRAS mutations after diagnosis of mCRC is recommended before any treatment is done. This guides the doctor in determining the most suitable anti-cancer therapy for the patient, sparing him or her from unnecessary costs and side-effects.

The Philippine Society of Medical Oncology, PhilHealth, and Merck Serono have banded together in organizing “Join our Bowel Movement,” a press conference with talks by the country’s top colorectal cancer experts and advocates.

Lectures by Dr. Felycette Gay Lapus, Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO) president; Dr. Ellie May B. Villegas, PSMO vice president; Dr. Ramy Roxas, ASEAN society of Colorectal Surgeons president and TMC Colorectal Clinic director; Merla Rose D. Reyes, RPh., PhilHealth Senior Social Insurance Specialist; and Prof. Diena Oroceo, CRC survivor were held on topics ranging from CRC treatment and diagnosis up to a CRC Survivor’s chronicle.

Dr. Villegas talked about CRC screening and diagnosis in her “Check your Colon” talk, and CRC treatment in her “Put your Rear on Gear” talk. Dr. Roxas discussed surgery in CRC in “Cutting Edge” while Reyes talked about the “Government Joining the Bowel Movement.” Prof. Oroceo shared CRC from a survivor’s point-of-view.

CRC begins when normal cells in the lining of the colon or rectum change and grow uncontrollably, forming a polyp which grows to become a malignant tumor.

According to Dr. Villegas, “Recent studies show that cetuximab and panitumamab do not work as well for tumors that have specific mutations to a gene called KRAS.”

The American Society of Clinical Oncology released a provisional clinical opinion recommending that all patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who may receive anti-EFGR therapy have their tumors tested for KRAS gene mutations.

KRAS plays an important role in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway. KRAS is a gene that codes one of the proteins of EGFR.

KRAS protein regulates other proteins in the EGFR pathway, which is related to tumor survival, angionesis, proliferation, and metastasis.

KRAS genes come in two types – KRAS wild-type and mutant KRAS. KRAS protein in the latter type has the KRAS protein perpetually “turned-on” and does not need activation by an upstream EGFR-mediated signaling. KRAS wild-type on the other hand means that the protein will only be temporarily activated in response to stimuli like EGFR signaling.

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By Paolo Angelo Florenda

SHIFT-ing to cycling & walking to preserve the environment!

Running and biking are two of the hottest sports/hobbies today in the country simply because of its convenience and easy-going nature. I was invited by Chris Sports, the country's leading sports retail shop and fitness advocate Arleen Lindo, to join and cover as a blogger this very interesting run & bike event to launch "SHIFT", a clean and green project whose brainchild are surprisingly college students of UP Diliman. My hats off to these students who are already responsible & concerned citizens at such young ages. This project basically advocates cycling and walking as safer, healthier and environment-friendly forms of transportation.  Well, as a consequence of using bicycles and one's two feet as transportation, road safety is also promoted. Some countries like Vietnam, China etc. are already upholding cycling as their number one mode of transport. I also know some top executives of leading companies ditching their BMWs, Porches, Benzes for bicycles in going to work. 

Again I sincerely hope this trend continues and the green bug bites every Filipino. MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, being a rider afficionado himself, is now implementing a bicycle program in EDSA which is a good start. Good deeds and habits should start from the top. This will inspire everyone to join the bandwagon.

Going back to SHIFT, the competition will be held on March 24, 2013 at the UP Academic Oval in UP Diliman at 1PM. Please see the contact details and the contents of the event booklet below for more info on this event and how to join.

Like us: facebook.com/upshift2013

Tweet us: @UPshift2013

Visit our website: tinyurl.com/upshift2013

Download your registration form here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/127914202/Shift-Downloadable-Registration-Form

Let us go green and support the cycling revolution! Help SHIFT preserve the environment by SHIFT-ing to cycling and walking from driving gas-guzzling motorcycles and automobiles!                    

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SHIFT EVENT BOOKLET

SHIFT OVERVIEW

This project was born out of the students’ desire to have a secure parking space for their bicycles when travelling inside the campus and to reinforce the advocacy of biking as a greener transportation alternative. Major buildings at the University of the Philippines lack the appropriate racks where students can securely park their greener mode of transportation. Since parking space for bicycles were very limited, students were discouraged to use bicycles. The idea of impracticality of riding a bicycle due to the drastic changes in weather also affected the number of students who use bicycles to transfer from one class to another. The “SHIFT” team, the group behind the project, decided to create an event that would not only benefit the welfare of the students but also launch a cycling revolution that can save the environment. One of the goals of the project is to address environmental issues such as the excessive emission of greenhouse gases caused by vehicles thus paving the way for a campaign for cleaner air by SHIFT-ing to greener alternatives when travelling. In addition, road safety has also been one of the off shoots of this activity since a lot of cycling accidents happen because of the lack of cycling lanes and education of the everyday motorists about road sharing. The boom of Fun Run events compelled the team to include running as a part of the event. Since running is also one of the top recreations in the university and has been a recent trend at the metro, it became a magnet for the involvement of more people in the advocacy. This event, projected to happen on March 24, 2013 in the UP Academic Oval and some major roads in the vicinity, is hoped to be the first of many advocacy events for cleaner air and road safety for our pedestrians, joggers, and cycling enthusiasts alike.

Moreover, the profits of the event will go to the promotion of cycling as a greener choice in transportation. It will benefit the welfare of the students through the installation of bicycle racks in major buildings in UP Diliman and the launching of a rent-a-bike program in the University.

BENEFICIARY

University of the Philippines, Diliman

Students and Faculty alike bring bicycles to school. They ride it from building to building but usually, the parking for their bicycles prove to be a problem. It's either the parking space for the bicycles are too far from the building, or these parking spaces are just makeshift ones from the railings of stairs and PWD ramps. Bikes are an investment. The safety of these will ensure their continued usage. The bike racks will be installed near the entrances of the main buildings of UP Diliman, such as colleges, dormitories, and offices, to guarantee the sustainability of our campaign to shift to greener alternatives of transportation by providing safe venues for parking bicycles and other wheeled means of transpo.

MISSION 

Shift for a clean air drift. The mission of SHIFT is to advocate for greener transportation alternatives such as biking and walking. SHIFT-ing will be a stepping stone towards reducing greenhouse gases and eventually stopping climate change. VISION SHIFT launches a cycling and running revolution that can save the environment. The proceeds of the project benefits students through the installation of bicycle racks inside UP Diliman campus, launching of rent-a-bike program and most importantly the reinforcement of advocating greener transportation alternatives. The Shift Team envisions UP Diliman as a green and eco-friendly campus where students take part in the solution and not contribute to the pollution. By using bicycles, walking and even running as means of transport, students already take part in the green revolution towards having a clean air.

GREENER TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES 

Transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emission accounting to 20%. The increasing number of vehicles in the Philippines specifically in Metro Manila has drastically increased the weight of transportation emission among other greenhouse gas emission sectors. Generally, the rising concentration of greenhouse gases causes an increase in the average temperature of the earth. Climate change is the effect of the rising of the Earth’s temperature thus producing changes in weather, sea levels and land use patterns. One way of saving the Earth from the greenhouse gases generated from vehicles is to “shift” to greener transportation alternatives such as riding a bicycle or walking. Tweaking our lifestyle and changing our modes of travel by embracing greener transportation alternatives can heal the environment from its ailing condition. Not only will the effort to shift to greener transportation alternative be of great help in reducing greenhouse gases but it also has a lot of health benefits, from losing weight to improving mental concentration. A study conducted in Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience at the University of Illinois found out that walking for 40 minutes three times a week can enhance the connectivity of brain circuits and increase performance on cognitive tasks.

Cycling’s health benefit allows bike commuters to lose 15-20 pounds during their first year in the saddle without changing their eating habits. Walking and cycling do not just have health benefits but they also help the government or rather the taxpayers in saving money patching potholes and resurfacing city streets.

ROAD SAFETY

Road accident ranks fourth in the top ten causes of death in the Philippines and ninth all over the world. From January to June 2012, 40,033 road accidents happened in Metro Manila which translates to an average of 220 accidents per day. The data came from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System as reported by Philippine Daily Inquirer on December 2012. According to a study conducted by University of the Philippines Institute of Civil Engineering (UP ICE) Assistant Professor Hilario Sean Palmiano which was reported on Yahoo Philippines on August 28, 2012, buses, both public and private, have the highest accident rates among all vehicles in Metro Manila. He said that there is a higher likelihood of getting into a road accident if you rode a bus rather than any other mode of transport. He also mentioned in his study that the average cost of the damages of road accidents is Php 105 billion which is equivalent to 2.6% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. On the average, Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Assistant Secretary Dante Lantin said that 73-79% of a road accident accounts to the driver’s error while 11-18% accounts to vehicle’s mechanical defects. The Department of Health launched information campaigns and implemented technical measures regarding road safety but the statistics continued to be alarming. In 2010, vehicular accident was the number one cause of external injury based on the data from National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Almost one out of three Filipinos who were brought to the emergency room for external injury was related to road accident. Since the first step of solving a problem is identifying that there is one, road experts teamed up with “Ang Pinaka”, GMA News TV’s edu-tainment countdown show and listed the top 10 most common causes of road accidents in the Philippines:

1. Drive Error 

2. Drunk Driving 

3. Lost Control 

4. Inattentively Moving Backwards 

5. Lost Brakes 

6. Bad Turning 

7. Mechanical Malfunction 

8. Avoided Hitting a Pedestrian 

9. Avoided Hitting Another Vehicle 

10. Bad Overtaking

Road safety has really become a crucial issue in the Philippines. Assistant Secretary Lantin projected that in 2020, road accidents can be the main cause of mortality in 2020 if there will be no intervention and initiatives done to solve the problem.

By Paolo Angelo Florenda