By Asst. Prof. Maricel N. Falguisana, RFT, LPT, MA

Zoom participants in the Life Science Webinar on Cancer.

The term “cancer” is very scary word to hear because of the associated emotional, mental, and economic threats. Every year the recorded cases are kept on increasing according to the reports of the most credible and reputable international health entity, the World Health Organization (WHO). According to its most recent reports, cancer serves as a leading cause of death worldwide accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. In terms of new cases of cancer, the most common in 2020 were breast (2.26 million cases), lung (2.21 million cases), colon and rectum (1.93 million cases), prostate (1.41 million cases), skin (non-melanoma) (1.20 million cases), and stomach (1.09 million cases).

For the purpose of elevating the awareness of the various stakeholders on cancer and enhancing their handling mechanisms and management on the potential signs and symptoms, the Life Science Department of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) of Central Philippine University (CPU) held a webinar on cancer entitled “Bukol” on July 8, 2022 at 1:30 PM via Zoom. It was attended by more than 100 faculty and staff of the university as well as alumni and friends of CPU.

The said medical related event is an outreach activity of the department to boost the social consciousness and civic-oriented spirit of the faculty and support staff in order to live the values of generosity and goodwill. The term “Bukol” is a hiligaynon word which means “bump” or “cyst” in English. The existence of the bumps and cysts on any parts of the human body allows one to suspect the early development of cancer, the uncontrolled multiplication of the cells brought by various carcinogenic agents.

The significant affair was graced by the prolific and eloquent speaker, Dr. Gemma Victoria P. Trasporto. Dr. Trasporto is a Medical Doctor by profession specializing in the fields of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is also a Fellow of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society. She is currently holding the academic administrative position as a Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Section of the College of Medicine, CPU and hospital supervisory post as an Assistant Director of Qualimed Iloilo. She is the beloved wife of Pastor James Peter Trasporto. Their Christian-centered relationship has produced talented and skillful gentlemen- Luke and Chris.

As a credible and dynamic speaker, Dr. Trasporto was successful in meeting her objectives during the lecture-discussion. She was able to determine the risk factors associated with cancers, to identify and describe the methods on how to detect the development of cancers, to explain the ways on how to prevent the said disease, and to identify the guides on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle to mitigate the vulnerability of the people to the mentioned disease.

During the persuasive and interactive talk, Dr. Trasporto was able to elaborate four major points pertaining to cancers. First, multiple risk factors are included in determining cancer risks such as geographical location, individuals’ genetic predisposition and persons’ lifestyles. The second point which was instilled in the minds of the participants was “cases of breast cancer were found highest among Filipino women in Southeast Asia.” The third point that was discussed during the event was the different cancer detection methods; however, these methods are expected to be substantiated and further elaborated by Dr. Quimpo in the succeeding health lecture-discussion. Dr. Trasporto also imparted that “males can develop breast cancer” however, different risk factors and detection processes are involved on this health issue.

Lastly, Dr. Trasporto emphasized the idea that “breast, cervical, and colon cancers are all results of the unhealthy lifestyles, dietary intake, and genetic make up of the individuals.” With those ideas highlighted, it left the audience a challenge of being conscious regarding their unbalanced dietary composition and unhealthy lifestyles to reduce the potential to suffer from the said illness.

At the end of the talk, Dr. Trasporto was very glad of entertaining several questions raised by the audience. The participants’ positive reactions and interactive responses indicated their significant satisfaction about the said event. The aforementioned health-related activity allowed them to acquire additional information about cancer prevention and development of the healthy habits.