The prevalence of cancer cases across all Indonesian provinces was 347,792 in

2013.

Illustration. (Photo source: Pixabay/qimono)

Review

Jakarta, GIVnews.com – Cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of mortality and
morbidity. In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported approximately 14 million
new cancer cases and expects the number to rise by ~70% in the next two decades.

The prevalence of cancer cases across all Indonesian provinces was 347,792 in 2013, with the
highest rate recorded in Yogyakarta at 4.1% according to the Indonesian Health Ministry data. In
absolute term, the Central Java province recorded the highest number of residents with cancer at
68,638 individuals, followed by East Java at 61,230 individuals diagnosed with cancer.

The two cancer types that are associated with the highest number of cases and deaths in
Indonesia’s major cancer center, RS Dharmais, are breast and cervical cancers, both of which are
cancers that affect mostly females. The cancer specialized hospital also recorded high number of
cases involving lung, ovarian, colorectal, thyroid, and liver cancers.

Read: 7 Most Common Death-Causing Diseases in Indonesia

‘Female cancers’ are common

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in the country as reported by the Jakarta
Globe in 2016. The same report also shared a 2013 data by the Health Ministry that indicates
how 1.4 of 1,000 Indonesian women suffer from breast cancer, which is equivalent to
approximately 347,000 individuals.

Another type of cancer that is commonly detected in female patients in Indonesia is cervical
cancer, which according to the WHO 2014 data, constitutes 10.3% of cancer-associated mortality
in females in Indonesia. On this, Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) is one of the most important risk
factors and the virus is transmitted through sexual activity. HPV vaccination is currently
available and may be effective in preventing the spread of the virus.

Illustration. (Photo source: Pixabay/PublicDomainPictures)

On the other hand, the three most common cancers that are associated with cancer-related death
in male patients are lung, liver and colorectal cancers. One out of thirteen males in the country
are reportedly diagnosed with lung cancer, with smoking being associated as one of the
contributing risk factors. Meanwhile, long-term infection with hepatitis B or C virus is one of the
most well-known liver cancer risk factors, in addition to smoking, cirrhosis and type 2 diabetes.

Colorectal cancer, which is mostly detected in males, is reported as the third most common cause
of cancer-associated mortality in males in Indonesia (versus 8.5% in females), constituting
10.2% or around 1.4 million deaths as relayed by the 2014 WHO report. More than 30% of
colorectal cancer patients are reportedly those below 40 years old, which is still within the
productive age. The increasing incidence of colorectal cancer is reportedly due to lifestyle factors
such as smoking and eating habits.
Like in other countries, one of the factors that could contribute to the high incidence of cancer in
Indonesia is the change of lifestyle, in addition to the lack knowledge and access to early
detection of the disease.

There are several cancer specialized hospitals catering for the rising demand in cancer treatment
in Indonesia. Two most well-known hospitals are RS Dharmais and MRCCC Siloam Hospital in
Jakarta. While RS Dharmais is a state-owned hospital, MRCCC Siloam is privately owned.
Many patients chose Dharmais Hospital due to their reputation and it is more accessible for the
middle-low income patients. The Indonesian government also has an insurance system for
citizens – BPJS and Kartu Indonesia Sehat (Healthy Indonesia Card) – which can be used at RS
Dharmais.