The University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Cancer Institute has inaugurated two new facilities — the Center for Precision Medicine and the Next Generation Sequencing Unit — in a major step toward advancing gene-based cancer care in the country.
UP President Angelo Jimenez highlighted the move as a turning point in the fight against cancer, addressing both the high cost of treatment and the need for more targeted therapies. Precision medicine uses a patient’s genetic profile to guide diagnosis and treatment, aiming to deliver the right drug at the right dose for the right individual.
Cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the Philippines, with over 466,000 Filipinos living with the disease as of 2022. The new facilities aim to enhance early diagnosis and tailor treatments, especially for underprivileged patients.
(Source: University of the Philippines)
