Objective: To describe how the Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance (ANCCA) members preserve high standards of care for cancer patients while battling the COVID-19 pandemic and to propose new strategies in the Asian Cancer Centers’ preparedness to future pandemics. Methods: A 41-question-based survey was developed using an online survey tool and conducted among 15 major Asian National Cancer Centers, including 13 ANCCA members. Direct interviews of several specialists were conducted subsequently to obtain additional answers to key questions that emerged during the survey analysis. Result: Institution/country-specific results provided a strong insight on the diverse ways of managing the pandemic around Asia, while maintaining well-balanced cancer care. Pragmatic strategies were put in place in each NCC hospital, including zoning and intensive triage depending on the pandemic impact. Distancing strategies and telemedicine were implemented in different capacity depending on the national healthcare system. In addition, there was a diverse impact on the manpower and financial aspect of cancer care across surveyed NCCs relating to magnitude of the pandemic impact on the country. Conclusion: The priorities nevertheless remain on maintaining cancer care delivery while protecting both patients and health care workers from the risk of COVID-19 infection. The role of a think-tank such as ANCCA to help share experiences in a timely manner can enhance preparedness in future pandemic scenarios.

Objectives: To improve the quality of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) management for intensive care unit (ICU) patients using a practical diagnostic scoring model. Methods: This nested case-control study aimed to determine the incidence of IPA in 405 ICU patients, between July 2012 and June 2014, at 6 hospitals in Jakarta, Indonesia. Phenotypic identifications and galactomannan (GM) tests of sera and lung excreta were performed in mycology laboratory, Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia. Results: The incidence of IPA in the ICUs was 7.7% (31 of 405 patients). A scoring model used for IPA diagnosis showed 4 variables as the most potential risk factors: lung excreta GM index (score 2), solid organ malignancy (score 2), pulmonary tuberculosis (score 2), and systemic corticosteroids (score 1). Patients were included in a high-risk group if their score was >2, and in a low-risk group if their score was <2. Conclusion: This study provides a novel diagnosis scoring model to predict IPA in ICU patients. Using this model, a more rapid diagnosis and treatment of IPA may be possible. The application of the diagnosis scoring should be preceded by specified pre-requisites.

Acrylamide (AA) is a carcinogenic substance found in food, cigarette smoke and in an environment exposed to acrylamide. This study aims to analyze AA levels in dried blood spot (DBS) samples of lung cancer patients with smoking record, without smoking record, and also in the negative blank. Analysis of AA levels was determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and DBS extraction using protein precipitation techniques. Mass detection was done using positive electron spray ionization (ESI) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) type with m/z values of 71.99 > 55.23 for acrylamide and m/z 260.16 > 116.04 for propranolol as the internal standard. AA levels in lung cancer patients with smoking record is in the range of 4.670 μg/mL to 11.986 μg/mL. AA levels in lung cancer patients without smoking record is in the range of 2.041 μg/mL to 12.702 μg/mL. Data on AA levels on negative blanks is in the range of 2.72 μg/mL to 3.51 μg/mL. The results of the independent sample t-test (p>0.05) showed that AA levels in patients with smoking record and those without smoking record did not differ significantly. Then, the Mann-Whitney test was performed between the lung cancer group and the negative blank group and a significant difference was found between the two groups (p<0.05).

Background In this study, we aimed to investigate whether FIB-4 index is useful in predicting mortality in patients with concurrent hematological malignancies and COVID-19. We also aimed to determine the optimal cut-off point for the prediction. Methods This is a single-center retrospective cohort study conducted in Dharmais National Cancer Hospital, Indonesia. Consecutive sampling of adults with hematological malignancies and COVID-19 was performed between May 2020 and January 2021. COVID-19 screening test using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of nasopharyngeal samples were performed prior to hospitalization for chemotherapy. FIB-4 index is derived from [age (years) × AST (IU/L)]/[platelet count (109/L) × √ALT (U/L)]. The primary outcome of this study is mortality, defined as clinically validated death/non-survivor during a 3-months (90 days) follow-up. Results There were a total of 70 patients with hematological malignancies and COVID-19 in this study. Median FIB-4 Index was higher in non-survivors (13.1 vs 1.02, p<0.001). FIB-4 index above 3.85 has a sensitivity of 79%, specificity of 84%, PLR of 5.27, and NLR of 0.32. The AUC was 0.849 95% CI 0.735–0.962, p<0.001. This cut-off point was associated with OR of 16.70 95% CI 4.07–66.67, p<0.001. In this study, a FIB-4 >3.85 confers to 80% posterior probability of mortality and FIB-4 <3.85 to 19% probability. FIB-4 >3.85 was associated with shorter time-to-mortality (HR 9.10 95% CI 2.99–27.65, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that FIB-4 >3.85 (HR 4.09 95% CI 1.32–12.70, p = 0.015) and CRP> 71.57 mg/L (HR 3.36 95% CI 1.08–10.50, p = 0.037) were independently associated with shorter time-to-mortality. Conclusion This study indicates that a FIB-4 index >3.85 was independent predictor of mortality in patients with hematological malignancies and COVID-19 infection.

Latar belakang: Kanker paru adalah kanker yang paling sering ditemukan. Pada tingkat populasi, kejadian dan kematian akibat kanker paru menempati urutan pertama dari seluruh kasus kanker yang terjadi pada laki-laki dan kanker tersering keempat pada perempuan, sementara kesintasan kanker paru adalah sangat singkat yaitu 13 bulan. Penelitian ini menggambarkan beberapa variabel kasus kanker paru di Rumah Sakit Kanker Dharmais (RSKD) secara epidemiologi dan klinis. Metode: Penelitian dilakukan secara potong lintang dengan mengambil data kanker paru tahun kejadian 2008-2012 di RSKD dengan sumber data registrasi kanker berbasis rumah sakit. Hasil: Kasus kanker paru pada laki-laki tiga kali lebih sering terjadi jika dibanding pada perempuan dan kasus mulai meningkat di kelompok usia 45 tahun. Letak kanker lebih sering ditemukan pada paru kanan (48,2%) dan adenokarsinoma merupakan jenis yang paling sering ditemukan (41,7%). Sebanyak 60,1% pasien tidak diketahui stage kanker yang diderita pada saat pertama kali kunjungan dan tulang merupakan lokasi metastasis yang paling sering ditemukan (36,4%). Kesimpulan: letak kanker paru pada pru kanan, jenis adenokarsinoma, stage belum diketahui saat pertama kali kunjungan dan metastasis ke tulang merupakan gambaran epidemiologi dan klinis pasien kanker paru di RSKD yang paling sering ditemukan.

Background: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death among men in the world. Given the very high mortality caused by lung cancer, a biological marker to determine a more sensitive therapy among non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is needed. This study aims to demonstrate that the clinical laboratory result can be a prognosis marker in NSCLC patients in Indonesia.Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study. The sample was obtained from the patient's serum and the examined routine blood test (hemoglobin, leukocyte, platelets), hemostasis (fibrinogen and Ddimers), blood chemistry test (aspartate transaminase [AST], alanine transaminase [ALT], albumin, urea, creatinine, and blood glucose), electrolyte (sodium, potassium, chloride, and calcium) and tumor markers (carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA] and Cyfra 21-1). Data were analyzed and interpreted using SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Analysis of the data was done to find the survival rate of sociodemographic variables, clinicopathologic variables, and clinic laboratory variables.Results: The study findings showed statistically significant results that were poor prognosis for these following conditions: performance status (PS) 3-4 median survival (

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Background and Aim Most patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are diagnosed in advanced-stage disease and therefore have poor overall survival. It remains unclear whether nutritional status affects response rate and overall survival in NSCLC patients. This study aimed to evaluate the association of nutritional status with treatment response and overall survival in patients with advanced stage of NSCLC. Methods Patients aged ≥18 years with stage II–IV NSCLC (January–June 2018) in a national cancer center in Indonesia were enrolled in this study. The patients were followed up for 2 years since NSCLC diagnosis was established. Clinical data including age, sex, histology of cancer, disease stage, cachexia, and weight status before chemotherapy were reviewed and analyzed. Logistic regression and Cox regression analyses were performed. Results A total of 174 patients (71% males, mean age = 58±9.4 years) was included. Complete response was found in <1% patients, partial response 41%, stable disease 33%, and progressive disease 25%. Median survival was 12 months (95% CI: 11–13 months). Mortality rate was 5.7 per 100 person-months. Poor survival was associated with being males (HR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.15–2.72, P = 0.009), and overweight or obesity (HR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.04–2.69, P = 0.034). These associations were independent of sex, age, staging, histopathology, performance status and D-dimer level at baseline. Cachexia and BMI at baseline were not associated with treatment response. Conclusion Males and having overweight or obesity are independently associated with lower survival in patients with advanced stage of NSCLC undergoing platinum-based chemotherapy.