Filipinos with multiple myeloma deserve a more holistic healthcare system

Every year, an estimated 932 Filipinos are diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood that develops in plasma cells found in the bone marrow. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell responsible for producing antibodies that help the body fight infection. While multiple myeloma is not among the most common cancers in the Philippines, it is the second most prevalent blood cancer among Filipinos and imposes a heavy socioeconomic burden on patients and their families.

The exact cause of multiple myeloma remains unknown. However, research has shown that the disease is driven by genetic mutations that vary from person to person and often develop spontaneously with age. It is not considered hereditary and occurs more frequently in men. Common symptoms include persistent back pain, fatigue, anemia, recurrent infections, excessive thirst and urination, bone fractures, confusion, and numbness. More than half of patients are diagnosed at age 65 or older.

For Filipinos living with multiple myeloma, the burden of disease extends far beyond medical treatment. According to Del Villanueva, a member of the Myeloma Support for Patient Empowerment Access and Knowledge (MyeSPEAK) Philippines Working Group, patients face layered and daunting challenges that demand a more holistic and compassionate approach to care. She spoke during the recently held 2nd Multiple Myeloma Lay Forum in Manila, themed “Multiple Myeloma: Kayang-Kaya Natin!,” which aimed to raise awareness, empower patients and families, and mobilize collective advocacy for better care.

Ms. Villanueva noted that diagnosing multiple myeloma is often confusing, prolonged, and costly. Its symptoms are frequently mistaken for more common conditions, and a definitive diagnosis requires multiple laboratory and imaging tests. Many of these specialized diagnostics are available only in Metro Manila. As a result, patients are often diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, when treatment options are more limited and survival outcomes are poorer.

Low awareness further complicates the patient’s journey. Many patients struggle to understand complex treatment protocols and available options. Access to patient navigators and support groups that can provide emotional, spiritual, and financial guidance remains limited. Mobility issues are common, with many patients requiring wheelchairs or stretchers and depending on carers for hospital visits, making safe transportation both essential and costly. These challenges are compounded by a shortage of hematologists, particularly outside major urban centers.

Globally, survival outcomes for multiple myeloma have improved significantly over the past two decades, driven by the development of more effective medicines. Studies show that five-year survival rates in high-income countries range from 53% to 75% for all patients, and can reach as high as 80% when the disease is detected early.

In contrast, data from the Department of Health – Rizal Cancer Registry show a five-year survival rate of just 45.6% among Filipino multiple myeloma patients — placing the country on the lower end even among developing nations.

“Let us work together to prevent unnecessary deaths among Filipinos living with multiple myeloma,” said Karen Alparce-Villanueva, founder and president of MyeSPEAK Philippines. “We are not asking for cutting-edge treatments like stem cell therapy or CAR-T cell therapy that are available in other countries. We are asking for access to basic, frontline treatments with decades of evidence behind them. The time to act is now.”

Dr. Maria Clariza Santos, president of the Philippine College of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine (PCHTM), echoed this call, emphasizing the need for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. She urged government agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector to work together to strengthen policies, research and development, health-human-resource capacity, infrastructure, and patient empowerment.

Dr. Corazon A. Ngelangel, a member of the National Integrated Cancer Control Council (NICCC), highlighted that the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (Republic Act No. 11215) mandates comprehensive cancer care for all cancer types and stages, including adult blood cancers such as multiple myeloma. The NICCC serves as the policy-making, planning, and coordinating body for the law’s implementation.

Under the law, Filipinos living with multiple myeloma are entitled to comprehensive cancer care and financial protection. They qualify as persons with disabilities, granting them access to discounts, disability support, and workplace benefits, including paid medical leave and employment protection. The law also guarantees counseling, psychosocial support, and pain-management services for all cancer patients.

Dr. Ngelangel, who also serves as president and vice-chairman of the Philippine Cancer Society, explained that the law directs the establishment of regional and provincial cancer access sites, centers, and specialty units — including those that can serve multiple myeloma patients. It also created the Cancer Supportive-Palliative Medicines Access Program to provide free cancer medicines and reduce out-of-pocket costs, as well as the Cancer Assistance Fund, which covers diagnostics, treatments, and medicines for eight priority cancers, including multiple myeloma, and complements PhilHealth benefits.

The true measure of a nation’s compassion is reflected in how it cares for its most vulnerable. Filipinos living with multiple myeloma deserve a healthcare system that delivers cancer care that is accessible, equitable, and affordable — not as an aspiration, but as a lived reality.

The measure of a nation’s compassion is reflected in how it cares for its most vulnerable — but compassion must be matched by execution. For Filipinos living with multiple myeloma, the law already guarantees access to care, medicines, and financial protection. What is urgently needed is decisive implementation: earlier diagnosis beyond Metro Manila, consistent access to essential treatments, stronger patient navigation, and sustained investment in cancer services nationwide.

Multiple myeloma patients are not asking for miracles. They are asking for a health system that delivers on its promises.

Teodoro B. Padilla is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines, which represents the biopharmaceutical medicines and vaccines industry in the country. Its members are at the forefront of developing, investing and delivering innovative medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics for Filipinos to live healthier and more productive lives.