Herdee Gloriane C. Luna

Dr. Herdee Gloriane C. Luna is a Medical Oncologist and cancer advocate based in Metro Manila, Philippines, specializing in medical oncology, molecular oncology, and precision cancer care. She currently holds multiple clinical and leadership positions, including Research Head of the Section of Medical Oncology at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute and Immediate Past President of the Philippine Society of Oncologists (2024). Her work focuses on molecular tumor profiling, circulating tumor cells, biomarker-driven oncology, and improving cancer care access and education in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region.

Current Position

• Medical Oncologist, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Manila, Philippines (January 2016–present)
• Research Head, Section of Medical Oncology, National Kidney and Transplant Institute
• Medical Oncologist, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Philippines (January 2018–present)
• Medical Oncologist, Lung Center of the Philippines (October 2015–present)
• Medical Oncologist, Metro North Medical Center and Hospital (2015–present)
• Medical Oncologist, Providence Hospital, Inc. (2015–present)
• Executive Action Team – Oncology Manager, Philippine Cancer Society (June 2024–present)
• Program Lead, ACT NOW PRIME CARE for Breast Cancer, Philippine Cancer Society (January 2022–present)
• Lead, Molecular Tumor Boards, Molecular Oncology Society of the Philippines (MOSP)
• Immediate Past President, Philippine Society of Oncologists (2024)
• Head, Subcommittee on National Affairs, Philippine Society of Medical Oncolog

Education

• HMX Fundamentals/Pro Online Certificate Programs in Genetics/Cancer Genomics, Immunology/Immuno-Oncology, and Pharmacology Essentials, Harvard Medical School (2020)
• Clinical Observership in Breast Cancer, Massachusetts General Hospital (2014)

Fellowship Training in Medical Oncology, National Kidney and Transplant Institute (2011–2014)

Professional Experience

• President, Philippine Society of Oncologists (January 2024–January 2025)
• Chair, Multimedia Committee, Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (January 2022–December 2023)
• Program Lead, Clinical Proteomics for Cancer Initiative, Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) (January 2019–January 2023)
• Takeda Science Foundation Scholar, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa City, Chiba, Japan (2025)
• Organizing Committee Member, Best of ASCO Philippines (2025)
• UICC Grant Recipient and Project Lead, ACT NOW Plus: A 360° digital patient education and navigation program incorporating HPV vaccination advocacy, Philippine Cancer Society (2024)
• ESMO Leaders Generation Program (ESMO-LGP) ASIA Recipient (2022)
• AVON Global Breast Cancer Clinical Scholar, Massachusetts General Hospital (2014)
• ASCO International Development and Education Award (ASCO-IDEA) Recipient (2013)

Research Activity

• Research Head of the Section of Medical Oncology at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, leading institutional oncology research programs.
• Program Lead for the Clinical Proteomics for Cancer Initiative (DOST-PCHRD, 2019–2023), advancing proteomics-based cancer diagnostics in the Philippines.
• Project Lead, ACT NOW Plus program (UICC, 2024): a 360° digital patient education, navigation, and HPV vaccination advocacy initiative.
• Research in molecular profiling and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) among Filipino cancer patients, including BRCA and NSCLC populations.
• Studies on PD-L1 expression, EGFR-mutant NSCLC outcomes, and NKX2-1 copy number alterations and their oncologic and immunologic implications.
• Lead for Molecular Tumor Boards, Molecular Oncology Society of the Philippines, facilitating genomics-driven multidisciplinary cancer care.
• Research on shared decision-making practices among Filipino oncologists and health professionals.

Academic Impact

• 17 peer-reviewed publications spanning molecular oncology, biomarker research, cancer epidemiology, and health policy in the Philippines.
• Contributor to national clinical practice guidelines for colorectal cancer in the Philippines.
• Active contributor to oncology education through leadership in the Philippine Society of Oncologists, ESMO Leaders Generation Program, and Best of ASCO Philippines organizing committee.
• Top 7 Finalist and Best Pitch Award, Gelia Castillo Award for Research in Social Innovations and Health (SIHI/Philippine Cancer Society, 2024).

Memberships / Honors / Awards

• Immediate Past President, Philippine Society of Oncologists (2024)
• Takeda Science Foundation Scholar, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan (2025)
• UICC Grant Recipient, ACT NOW Plus Program (2024)
• Top 7 Finalist and Best Pitch Award, Gelia Castillo Award for Research in Social Innovations and Health, SIHI/Philippine Cancer Society (2024)
• ESMO Leaders Generation Program (ESMO-LGP) ASIA Recipient (2022)
• 22nd Manuel L. Quezon Gawad Parangal (Award of Honors)
• AVON Global Breast Cancer Clinical Scholar, Massachusetts General Hospital (2014)
• ASCO International Development and Education Award (ASCO-IDEA) (2013)

Licensures and Certifications

• Philippine Specialty Boards in Medical Oncology (FPSMO)
• Philippine Specialty Boards in Internal Medicine (FPCP)
• Fellow, Philippine Society of Oncologists (FPSO)
• Fellow, Molecular Oncology Society of the Philippines (FMOSP)

Areas of Specialization

• Medical oncology and precision cancer medicine
• Molecular tumor profiling and circulating tumor cells (CTCs)
• Lung cancer (NSCLC), breast cancer, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal malignancies
• Biomarker-driven oncology and molecular tumor boards
• Cancer care in low- and middle-resource settings
• Shared decision-making and patient education in oncology
• Clinical proteomics for cancer
• HPV-related malignancies and vaccination advocacy

Publications

A Nationwide Survey on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Filipino Oncologists and Oncology-Related Professionals on Shared Decision Making. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology. April 2025.
The differential prognostic implications of PD-L1 expression in the outcomes of Filipinos with EGFR-mutant NSCLC treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. (Listed in profile publications.)
Alteration in NKX2-1 CN reshapes the oncogenic, immunologic, and prognostic landscapes in NSCLC. (Listed in profile publications.)
Feasibility and clinical utility of molecular profiling among metastatic cancer patients: A cancer center experience in the Philippines. Journal of Clinical Oncology. May 2014.
Filipino BRCA CTCs and gene expression: Descriptive study, feasibility and utility. Annals of Oncology. December 2015.
CTC count and gene expression profiling among Filipino NSCLC. Annals of Oncology. December 2016.
Colorectal Cancer National Clinical Practice Guidelines. (Technical Report, full-text available.) December 2022.
RECIST-based outcome of cancer patients who underwent treatment on the basis of molecular profiling: A single centre experience in the Philippines. European Journal of Cancer. May 2014.
Incidence and outcome of breast cancer diagnosed after kidney transplantation: A single center experience. January 2014.
Quality of Life and Nutritional Status Among Cancer Patients on Chemotherapy. Oman Medical Journal. July 2013.
Symptom burden among metastatic cancer patients receiving palliative chemotherapy. Journal of Clinical Oncology. May 2013.
Association of creatinine clearance with neutropenia in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with FAC. The Medical Journal of Malaysia. April 2013.
Association of dyslipidemia with the aggressive molecular subtypes and pathologic profile of newly diagnosed nonmetastatic breast cancer patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology. September 2012.
Incidence of infusion-related reaction to monoclonal antibody Rituximab: A National Kidney and Transplant Institute experience. Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore. March 2012.
Renal function of cancer patients “fit” for Cisplatin chemotherapy: Physician perspective. Gulf Journal of Oncology. July 2014.

All information is sourced from publicly available materials.