Davao hospital to upgrade Liver Center

MINDANAOANS can expect an improved Liver Center, as the Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH) announced its plan to upgrade facilities and services for patients diagnosed with liver cancer and hepatitis.

The Liver Center, which is expected to be enhanced this year, will address the increasing public concern about liver wellness and various diseases and issues involving viral hepatitis, fatty liver, liver cirrhosis and other liver conditions.

In a press conference at the DDH Friday, Dr. Celia Castillo, DDH medical director, said the Liver Center will be put in place as a key unit of the hospital to enable accurate data-gathering on the number of cases of hepatitis and liver cancer from patients and to provide more complete data on its prevalence rate, which will serve as a basis for policy making and public advocacy.

She said the center will help patients to easily cope up despite their condition, as it will also serve as a place wherein they get support from other patients who have been diagnosed to have hepatitis and other liver-related diseases.

"The liver center is envisioned for patients to get a support group. Provide them a venue to share their experiences," she said, adding that this is essential to patients' healing process.

In a briefer, the Liver Center will provide expertise in the prevention and treatment of the liver diseases.

The DDH, through the Liver Center, will promote prevention measures and early detection of liver diseases through a healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Jose Rene Lacuesta, medical consultant of DDH, said liver cancer is third most common cancer among Filipinos next to breast and lung cancer, but added it is the second most common cancer for Filipino men.

He said the liver serves as a filter of the body, meaning everything that is taken in will be screened by the liver, including harmful substances like too much intake of alcoholic drinks.

"The good thing is it repairs itself. Pero kung uminom agad, talagang masisira yan (But when you drink more alcoholic drink before it can regenerate it will damage your liver)," he said.

Dr. Jun Pilapil of DDH said the recommended volume for men is about four 270 ml. bottles of beer and two 270 ml. bottles for women.

He said there also drugs that can be detrimental to kidneys like paracetamol.

"Buti nalang hindi masyado mahilig ang mga Pilipino sa paracetamol (It's good to know that Filipinos are not used to take paracetamol)," he said.

Meanwhile, Lacuesta said the DDH is the first hospital in Visayas and Mindanao to acquire the Fibroscan, and second in the Philippines, which was acquired in May 2011.

Fibroscan is a safe technique to assess the stiffness of the liver without human body intrusion that provides faster results on the liver's health.

This also allows physicians to diagnose and monitor disease evolution regardless of the treatment. The examination results will also help to anticipate various complications and assess the damages caused by liver diseases.