Seeing the Opportunities and Challenges of Liver Cancer Surgery in Indonesia

dr. Tjhang Supardjo said Indonesia already has the capability and modern technology to handle liver cancer surgery or liver resection. There are high-tech tools such as CUSA (cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator) to cut the liver tissue without damaging the blood vessels and surrounding healthy tissue.

With these tools, said dr. Tjhang Supardjo, surgery to cut the word tumor can run with minimal bleeding because it does not damage the blood vessels. In some cases, surgery can also be performed using laparoscopic techniques or minimally invasive surgery.

Both in terms of surgery and palliative therapy, Indonesia according to dr. Tjhang Supardjo has also been comparable to developed countries. In fact, it is not uncommon for cases of patients to return to Indonesia after they were not successfully treated in other countries, but we have managed to handle them well.

The challenges of handling liver cancer in Indonesia, according to dr. Tjhang Supardjo is that many patients come to the doctor or hospital with advanced cancer conditions making it difficult to cure. Though ideally cancer is found or diagnosed early so that it can be treated quickly and appropriate therapy.

“In the cases that I often find, patients are not aware of their health conditions. Not a few who underestimate minor complaints such as bloating or mild abdominal pain that often come and go,” said dr. Tjhang Supardjo.

Statistically, 30% of liver cancer patients who come still meet the criteria for surgery. The rest are patients at an advanced stage and can no longer undergo surgery so they are fully palliative. It is an approach to improving the quality of life of patients and their families facing life-threatening health problems, through prevention and action to reduce the pain, physical, social and spiritual problems that patients face during treatment.

–