With newly developed methods of cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, doctors and nurses could contribute more to cancer care. Thus, advanced oncology practice can reduce the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of cancer.
In the 1970s, ASF pioneered the Cancer Research, Training and Oncology Fellowship Program in the Philippines, encouraging Filipino doctors to become involved in cancer research, treatment and management. ASF supported eight internationally and 37 locally trained research fellows, seven of whom are currently training at the Cancer Institute in UP-PGH.
ASF pioneered the Specialized Nursing Oncology Course in partnership with the Forum Against Cancer through Encouragement and Support (FACES) and the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod (USLS) where 22 registered nurses graduated after one year. The nursing oncology curriculum was eventually adopted by USLS for its graduate studies in nursing.
