Breast cancer and cervical cancer are the number one killer of women in Indonesia. (PHOTO: ILLUSTRATION)
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Jakarta, Jurnas.com – Advanced breast cancer is still a global health problem that requires the attention of the entire community and policy makers. Referring to Globocan data, in 2020 there were 44.2 per 100,000 new cases per year.
In Indonesia, out of 260 million Indonesians, there are around 65,800 cases of breast cancer. Data from the Indonesian Association of Surgeons oncology (PERABOI) found that out of 10,000 cases of breast cancer, about 70 percent were stage 3 and 4.
To suppress the incidence of advanced breast cancer, a national policy is needed from prevention, early detection, to good and sustainable management.
Unfortunately, not all countries, especially in poor and developing countries, have all of these policies. Cooperation between countries is expected to be a place to share experiences, how to deal with breast cancer comprehensively and thoroughly.
One form of cooperation between countries in the field of breast cancer is the Southeast Asia Breast Cancer Symposium (SEABCS) forum. This year, the 5th SEABCS will be held in Indonesia, where the Foundation Breast cancer Indonesia (YKPI) was appointed as the organizer.
SEABCS is a global forum that brings together medical professionals in the field of breast cancer, the breast cancer community, patients, survivors, midwives, health professionals, and government representatives.
Since 2016, SEABCS has regularly held regional meetings. If previously the meeting was held offline, this year SEABCS specifically held an online meeting considering the COVID-19 pandemic that is still hitting.
SEABCS 2021 will be held for 2 days, July 31, 2021 – August 01, 2021. The theme is “Putting Patients to the Hearts af Cancers Control,” or placing patients first in cancer treatment.
Linda Agum Gumelar as Chair of the Foundation Breast cancer Indonesia (YKPI) revealed that the problems faced by almost all breast cancer communities in ASEAN countries are actually almost the same.
“For example, lack of understanding about cancer, low awareness of early detection, delaying therapy, limited access to health facilities, and government policies that still need to be improved in the treatment of cancer patients,” said Linda.
According to Linda, although the problems faced are the same, sometimes the solutions are different. “We learn a lot from various communities in other countries. In the Philippines, for example, the breast cancer community there has succeeded in getting approval from the parliament that breast cancer services are a priority for the government,” he continued.
On the other hand, Linda said, communities in other countries also learn a lot from Indonesia. For example, they learned from YKPI how to take advantage of women’s organizations spread throughout Indonesia, namely BKOW (Body for Cooperation of Women’s Organizations) at the provincial level. Then at the district/city level there is GOW (Women’s Organization Association).
“Through them, among others, YKPI conducts educational outreach about the importance of screening and early detection of breast cancer,” he said.
In addition, YKPI’s mammography car as a means of early detection is the only or the first in ASEAN to be an example and many other countries follow.
On the same occasion, representing the Chair of the Indonesian Women Imaging Society (IWIS) Kardinah SpRad (K), added that early detection starts from SADANIS which can be done by all individuals themselves.
“If you find a lump, you can go to the health center or health facility that is equipped with ultrasound or mammography, the current development is that there are 3D or automated breast ultrasound in several hospitals,” he said.
At higher health facilities, mammography is available, which progresses from 2D to 3D (digrtal breast tomosynthesis). In addition there are diagnostic equipment such as MRI and PET scan which are more sophisticated, for special cases.
“Early detection facilities already exist, a national program has been made since 2008, the referral system has been strengthened, it’s up to the patient whether they want to do it or not. Just thinking that the lumps around the breasts are just due to hormonal influences, Selungga didn’t do further examinations,” said dr. Cardinah.
In addition, after cancer cases are found, further treatment becomes a big challenge. According to the Chairman of PERABOI, dr. Walta Gautama, Sp.B (K) Onk, when the patient feels a lump, it takes 13 months to come to the health facility. Until it is handled properly it can take 9-15 months.
“So even though we emphasize the importance of early detection, if the management is not improved, the results will be the same. Because cancer treatment must be correct from the beginning to the end,” said Dr. Walta.
This is why during the last 35 years, there has been no significant progress in efforts to suppress the incidence of stage 3 and 4 breast cancer in the country. According to dr. Walta, the problem is still the same, namely there is no standard regulation for referrals for suspected cases of breast cancer from primary health facilities to secondary and tertiary facilities.
“In fact, for the advancement of breast cancer therapy, Indonesia is not inferior or even superior to other countries,” explained dr. Walta.
Cross-Professional Cooperation in SEABCS Through SEABCS 2021, it is hoped that the nodes of the problem of handling breast cancer in each country can be unraveled by sharing experiences.
Ning Anhar as Deputy Chair of the Organizer, explained that through this SEABCS, cooperation with various communities, experts, and policy makers is expected to be enhanced.
“It is hoped that through SEABCS, a recommendation will be born which is the result of the thoughts of experts and participants, which can then be brought to the policy makers of each country,” said Ning.
Dr Walta also expected the same. “In the SEABCS forum, we want to share how they get data, regulate regulations so that patients found with early stage cancer do not take long to be treated. Moreover, in terms of operational techniques, we do not lag behind other countries.”
The same thing was conveyed by dr. Kardinah said that SEABCS was an advocacy event to the government in terms of program management which consisted of preventive, curative and palliative actions.
“Management at the hospital level must also be improved. So far, more professions are engaged. We want certain standards, but the infrastructure in hospitals is not adequate.”
TAGS : Breast cancer Advanced Stadium YKPI Institute
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