Marilyn Cahatol

Antipolo residents receive free ultrasound, cryotherapy, breast and cervical cancer screening on at Kaulayaw Coffee on Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City, Rizal on September 6, 2023. The project, which is a joint collaboration between the Rotary Club of Makati Circle of Friends, Rotary Club of Rizal Premier, Kaulayaw Coffee, Philippine Cancer Society, Nation Builders, Mosliv Awards, and the Antipolo City Government, aims to raise awareness  on the importance of early cancer detection so that they can receive professional advice and proper treatment. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

CANCER SCREENING

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175559973266420230906-free-cancer-screening-rizal-MT9.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Antipolo residents receive free ultrasound, cryotherapy, breast and cervical cancer screening on at Kaulayaw Coffee on Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City, Rizal on September 6, 2023. The project, which is a joint collaboration between the Rotary Club of Makati Circle of Friends, Rotary Club of Rizal Premier, Kaulayaw Coffee, Philippine Cancer Society, Nation Builders, Mosliv Awards, and the Antipolo City Government, aims to raise awareness  on the importance of early cancer detection so that they can receive professional advice and proper treatment. M<em>aria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span>MANILA — A collective DNA screening to detect human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, will help &quot;eliminate&quot; the illness among urban communities in the Philippines, experts said.</div><p>The Centralized Laboratory Model for HPV DNA Screening (CLAMS) is &quot;helping advance the Philippines&#x27; goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem by offering an innovative approach to expand access to high-quality screening and treatment.&quot;</p><p>HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, is the primary cause of cervical and other types of cancer. Its early detection prevents progression of the illness.</p><p>HPV DNA screening is the preferred modality of the World Health Organization (WHO), based on JHPIEGO Country Program Manager Ingrid Magnata.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/17/23/i-have-hpv-what-should-i-do">I have HPV. What should I do? </a></div><p>Cervical cancer, a type of cancer that grows from a woman&#x27;s cervix, is the fourth most common cancer among women, according to the <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/cervical-cancer#tab=tab_1">WHO</a>. </p><p>In 2022 alone, about 660,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, while 350,000 died. </p><p>The Department of Health&#x27;s record, meanwhile, shows that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Filipino women. </p><p>Ingrid Magnata, country program manager of JHPIEGO, said that the positivity rate of HPV among the general women population has reached 8 to 10%. Among them, 10-20% contracted the oncogenic type of HPV infection, which she said is treatable. </p><p>“Once you are seen as a HPV infected positive, immediately with the thermal ablation, you can be treated and then you will not progress into cervical cancer,” she said. </p><p>Thermal ablation is a treatment that uses heat to cure cervical cancer.</p><p>“Screening itself is a process that saves life,” Magnata said. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/life/03/08/17/alamin-paano-maiiwasan-ang-cervical-cancer">ALAMIN: Paano maiiwasan ang cervical cancer?</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>HUB-AND-SPOKE MODEL</strong></div><p>The CLAMS model, piloted by the global health nonprofit organization JHPIEGO, employs the hub-and-spoke model, Donna Miranda, project officer of JHPIEGO, said. </p><p>The hub-and-spoke model is where the samples, collected through several project hubs, are sent to one laboratory for screening.</p><p>Treatment is also decentralized to the project hubs to make it accessible among women despite several barriers including geographic, socioeconomic constraints, low awareness and stigma.</p><p>“Ideally, it would be easier to get treatment for cervical cancer than to buy a stick of cigarette every day. That’s the dream,” said Miranda. </p><p>“We had to tell women that cervical cancer is not a death sentence,” she said.</p><p>The CLAMS pilot program is in its second phase, having started in 2021 in partnership with some local government units including Cebu City, Navotas and Quezon City.</p><p>In its first phase, it found that 367 out of the 4,925 screened individuals from April 2023 to July 2024 tested positive with HPV. Among them, 162 were treated.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SELF-SAMPLING</strong></div><p>The model uses self-sampling kits, submitted to a laboratory for batch screening.</p><p>Magnata said the self-sampling procedure received a 96-98% acceptance rate among women. </p><p>Meanwhile, Quezon City Cancer Control Coordinator Karen See noted that the self-sampling kit inflicts less pain than other procedures and also costs less. Still, it results in the same quality compared to a doctor-administered test. </p><p>This sample collection procedure also works best for island communities, which the Philippines, as an archipelagic country, has a lot, said Carmen Auste, global patient advocate and CEO of Cancer Warriors Foundation. </p><p>The health experts and LGU representatives said a collaboration between the private sector and the government matters to reach the 90-70-90 goal.</p><p>Christia Padolina, Navotas City administrator and Cervical Cancer Elimination program director, said the goal is to vaccinate at least 90% of women against HPV.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/16/herbosa-doh-to-begin-free-hpv-immunization-for-filipino-girls-1421">Herbosa: DOH to begin free HPV immunization for Filipino girls </a></div><p>The CLAMS model, meanwhile, attempts to screen at least 70% of Filipino women aged 35 to 40 years old. </p><p>The 90% who yielded a positive result are targeted to proceed with early treatment.</p><p>“The battlefield for cervical cancer prevention and control is at the community level. Lahat iyan ang labanan, nasa barangay. So if local healthcare systems are not empowered, we can have the most beautiful national level programs, but they would never really reach those it need to reach,” said Miranda.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong><strong></strong><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f0kaufi65cQ?si=K9j5cIT6CVTlEDhY" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>A collective DNA screening to detect human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, will help "eliminate" the illness among urban communities in the Philippines, experts said.</p>

A collective DNA screening to detect human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, will help "eliminate" the illness among urban communities in the Philippines, experts said.

Batch HPV DNA screening to help eliminate cervical cancer in PH: experts

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Health & Science

Batch HPV DNA screening to help eliminate cervical cancer in PH: experts

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 19, 2025 07:14 PM PHT

Read More:

HPV

Cervical cancer

JHPIEGO

Navotas

Quezon City

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.