Understanding a cancer Filipinos should no longer overlook

As the country observed Myeloma Awareness Month last March, attention must turn to a disease that remains largely underrecognized, yet affects mostly seniors who are looking forward to enjoying their years after working so hard: multiple myeloma.

This blood cancer, which affects the bone marrow, is the second most common hematologic malignancy in the Philippines. Many Filipinos with multiple myeloma are not getting the care they need and are facing catastrophic financial consequences.

Last March 31, key stakeholders—health-care professionals, policymakers, and patients and their families—gathered for a policy roundtable discussion to identify the most urgent actions to address access.

For patients, the journey is rarely straightforward. Symptoms are often vague and common to other diseases—fatigue, bone pain, and recurring infections—leading to delays in diagnosis. Access to specialized tests remains uneven, particularly outside urban centers. Early intervention often becomes a late-stage discovery.

The inequities do not end there. Globally, treatment for multiple myeloma has advanced significantly, with new therapies extending survival and improving quality of life. Thanks to research done by the International Myeloma Foundation and other organizations, multiple myeloma is already being recognized not as a death sentence but as a chronic condition. In the Philippines, access to these innovations remains limited.

Only a portion of available treatments can be accessed locally, and even fewer are supported by public financing. First-line treatments, which are part of the World Health Organization essential medicines list, are not provided for patients. For many families, the cost of care is not just burdensome—it is prohibitive.

This disconnect between medical progress and patient access is where the real crisis lies.

To its credit, the government has taken steps under the Universal Health Care framework to strengthen cancer care, including expanding outpatient and palliative support. But for multiple myeloma patients, key gaps persist—particularly in access to essential chemotherapy medicines, advanced diagnostics, and procedures such as bone marrow transplantation.

Health experts and patient advocates are calling for urgent, concrete reforms, foremost among these is the expansion of access to lifesaving medicines by accelerating their inclusion in the Philippine National Formulary. Without this, treatment remains out of reach for most patients.

Also critical is the development of a comprehensive Philippine Health Insurance Corp. benefit package specific to multiple myeloma—one that covers diagnostics, induction chemotherapy and maintenance therapy, and transplantation. Standardized clinical practice guidelines must also be established. In their absence, the quality of care varies widely, depending on geography and institutional capacity, reinforcing inequities across the health system.

Finally, there is the patient experience itself—often overlooked in policy discussions. Multiple myeloma is not a one-time illness but a long-term condition requiring continuous care. Patients need support systems beyond treatment, including monitoring, counseling, and clear guidance on accessing services.