Senate declares National Thyroid Cancer Awareness Week

The Senate today passed on third and final reading a bill which seeks to declare the fourth week of September of every year as the National Thyroid Cancer Awareness Week.

Senator Teofisto "TG" Guingona III, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and sponsor of House Bill No. 5307, said that through this declaration, Filipinos would be more aware of this potentially curable disease.

"This is a unique cancer because there is an actual potential cure if detected early and managed adequately,"Guingona said.

Studies show that Thyroid cancer is the seventh most common cancer in the Philippines, ranking fourth among females and 17th among males.

"Through public awareness and education, Guingona said, early screening and detection of thyroid cancer is anticipated. This way, a thyroid cancer can be detected earlier leading to early surgery and treatment and potential cure," Guingona explained.

However, he said, when detected late, thyroid cancer can spread to other parts of the body and can lead to poor quality of life and even death.

According to the bill, the declaration of the fourth week of September as the National Thyroid Cancer Awareness Week coincides with the International Celebration of Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month.

"With the passage of this bill, measures can be undertaken by the Department of Health to develop national programs to discuss the causes and consequences as well as the prevention and treatment of thyroid cancer," Guingona said. (Olivia Caunan)