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  • BIOMARKER TESTING

    Early detection of disease through screening is a vital first step in battling cancer. Biomarker testing is widely recommended in non-small cell lung cancer and by testing, doctors can use the information to plan the best treatment forward.

WHAT ARE BIOMARKERS?

Biomarkers are crucial measurable indicators of the presence or severity of a disease, and its state. Understanding the presence of biomarkers can help doctors predict the body’s response to certain treatments.

WHERE ARE BIOMARKERS LOCATED?

Biomarkers can be found in the patient’s blood, body fluids, and human tissue. Through pathology of samples from the patient, biomarker testing can determine the best course of immunotherapy treatment.

HOW CAN IT HELP A CANCER PATIENT?

Biomarker screening is important in the treatment of lung cancer because if a patient is found to have a certain biomarker called PD-L1 – a high expression of which directly correlates to response and overall patient survival – that patient becomes an ideal candidate for immunotherapy.

Hope From Within ambassador Diego Castro, the son of renowned news anchor Angelo Castro who passed away due to lung cancer, stresses the importance of getting tested early on:

“That was my mistake, I didn’t tell my dad early on to get tested. I could have had him for a longer time. I don’t want that to happen to other people. I want them to have a fighting chance,” said Diego”

QUOTES FROM SPECIALISTS

Professor Taejung Kim

“Diagnosis is our major ‘hero’ work. We select the right patient for the right treatment to improve the chance of treatment success.”

Professor Taejung KimMedical Doctor and Associate Professor of Pathology at The Catholic University of Korea – https://
Diego Castro

“Get them tested right away. That’s what I’ve learned. Had I told my dad a year earlier [to get tested], we probably would have caught it at [an earlier stage] and [my dad] would probably have lived longer.”

Diego CastroLung Cancer Awareness Advocate
Dr. Herdee Luna

“We also emphasize that cancer is a problematic disease, that is why we partner with advocacy groups, LGUs, and all sectors to have preventive programs, to minimize our risk for cancer. So that when we catch this disease early on there is the best chance for cure.”

Dr. Herdee LunaMultimedia Committee Associate of Philippine Society of Medical Oncology
Dr. Ivy de Dios

“For patients with negative or low PD-L1 expression, immunotherapy can also be administered coupled with standard chemotherapy treatment.”

Dr. Ivy de DiosMedical Adviser, MSD