The Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO) will host its 24th Midyear Convention on April 16–17, 2026, at the Dusit Thani D2 Hotel, Davao City, with the theme “PANAG-ISTORYA: Conversations that matter in Cancer Care.”
Panag-istorya is a Visayan term that means dialogue. In the context of oncology, it refers to the essential communication process between healthcare providers, patients, and their families to facilitate holistic cancer care.
We’ve all been there: at our clinic, or at the patient’s bedside-the unenviable task of breaking bad news and holding difficult conversations falls on us, the caring cancer doctor. Sure, we can stay updated on the latest response rates, and drone on about the expected side effects of treatment…but how do we find the words that will make sense to the patient, the terms that would be meaningful and relevant to their story? How does one respond to questions like: How long? Is there hope? Am I dying? Why me?
We are so honored to have Dr. Antonio Sison as our featured speaker and moderator for Panag-istorya, a communication skills workshop tailored specifically for the Filipino oncologist. Armed with his training in psycho-oncology from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, he is the perfect guide to exploring (and hopefully, understanding) how our personal histories influence our capacity to courageously hold these conversations with our patients. Dr. Sison has put so much thought and care in developing this program for us, and I am beyond excited for each and every PSMO member to walk out of the convention hall enlightened, emboldened, and enriched.
It is our sincere hope that this is merely the beginning of more PSMO workshops focused on teaching us how to be better communicators—and better carers—for our patients with cancer.
So, save the date and we hope to see you all in Davao! Till our next conversation….
Pauline
Anne Peronilla-Cauton, MD, FPSMO
Co-chair,
Panag-istorya Workshop
PSMO
Midyear Convention 2026