Norman B. San Agustin, M.D.
DLSU GS 1958, DLSU HS 1962
2019
DLSAA Lasallian Achievement Awardee
for his trailblazing work on breast cancer treatment founded on innovative methods and compassionate means that ensure women's survival and triumph over the disease
Dr. San Agustin has four and a half decades of experience in his field, having worked in the U.S. as a breast surgeon. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and runs his practice at the Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey. San Agustin was also the chairman of the Comprehensive Cancer Care Program and the Breast Cancer Program at Saint Clare’s Hospital. With his colleagues, he helped set up the Asian Breast Center in the Philippines which is dedicated to providing high-quality yet affordable treatment to middle-class and low-income patients. It is the first in the country to feature revolutionary treatment methods such as Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT). This cutting-edge medical technology allows doctors to administer a single dose of radiation for only half an hour following a lumpectomy. The center also offers Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) which can detect early signs of breast cancer in all types of patients. This is an improvement over mammograms which have limited detection range compared to MBI. In fact, the Asian Breast Center is one of the few in the world that features this technology. Thanks to his efforts, Dr. San Agustin has made a great difference in many women’s lives and saved them from the threat of breast cancer.