Background:In Asia, large-scale studies on anti-HER2 treatment in HER2-positive breast cancer patients with brain metastases are limited. We studied the treatment patterns of these patients in Asia to evaluate the impact of anti-HER2 treatment on the time to occurrence of brain metastases (TTBM) and survival after brain metastasis (BM).Methods:A retrospective study of HER2-positive breast cancer patients diagnosed with BM between January 2006 and December 2008 in six Asian countries was conducted. Demographics, tumour characteristics, treatment details, and events dates were collected from medical records.Results:Data from 280 patients were analysed. Before BM, 63% received anti-HER2 treatment. These patients had significantly longer TTBM than those without anti-HER2 treatment (median 33 vs 19 months; P<0.002). After BM, 93% received radiotherapy, 57% received chemotherapy, and 41% received anti-HER2 treatment (trastuzumab and/or lapatinib). Use of both anti-HER2 agents, primarily sequentially, after BM demonstrated the longest survival after BM and was associated with a significant survival benefit over no anti-HER2 treatment (median 26 vs 6 months; hazard ratio 0.37; 95% CI 0.19–0.72).Conclusion:Anti-HER2 treatment before BM was associated with longer TTBM. Anti-HER2 treatment after BM was associated with a survival benefit, especially when both trastuzumab and lapatinib were utilised.

Background: Cisplatin is still used as a first-line medication for solid tumors. Nephrotoxicity is a serious side effect that can decrease renal function and restrict applicable doses. This research aimed to obtain the profile of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and its associated factors in adult cancer patients at Dharmais National Cancer Hospital (DNCH). Materials and Methods: The design was cross-sectional with data obtained from patient medical records. We retrospectively reviewed adult cancer patients treated with cisplatin ≥60mg/m 2 for at least four consecutive chemotherapy cycles from August 2011 to November 2013. The nephrotoxicity criterion was renal function decline characterized by creatinine clearance <60 ml/min using the Cockroft-Gault (CG) equation. Results: Eighty-eight subjects received at least four chemotherapy cycles of cisplatin. The prevalence of cisplatin nephrotoxicity was 34.1%. Symptoms could be observed after the first cycle of chemotherapy, and the degree of renal impairment was higher with increased numbers of cycles (r=-0.946, r 2 =89.5%). Factors that affected the decline of renal function were patient age (p=0.008, OR=3.433, 95%CI= 1.363-8.645) and hypertension (p=0.026, OR=2.931, 95%CI=1.120-7.670). Conclusions: Cisplatin nephrotoxicity occurred in more than one-third of patients after the fourth cycle of chemotherapy and worsened after each cycle despite preventive strategies such as hydration. The decline of renal function induced by cisplatin ≥60 mg/m 2 was affected by age and hypertension.

Background Most studies on advance care planning in Asia originate in high-income Asian countries. Indonesia is a middle-income Asian country characterized by its religious devoutness and strong family ties. This study aims to explore the perspectives and experiences of Indonesian healthcare professionals on advance care planning for cancer patients. Methods Focus-group discussions were conducted in July and August 2019 and were analysed using thematic content analysis enhanced by dual coding and exploration of divergent views. Purposive sampling of physicians and nurses actively engaged in cancer care in a national cancer centre and a national general hospital. Results We included 16 physicians and 16 nurses. These participants were open to the idea of advance care planning. We further identified four aspects of this planning that the participants considered to be important: 1) the family’s role in medical decision-making; 2) sensitivity to communication norms; 3) patients’ and families’ religious beliefs regarding the control and sanctity of life; and 4) the availability of a support system for advance care planning (healthcare professionals’ education and training, public education, resource allocation, and formal regulation). Participants believed that, although family hierarchical structure and certain religious beliefs may complicate patients’ engagement in advance care planning, a considerate approach to involving family and patients’ religious perspectives in advance care planning may actually facilitate their engagement in it. Conclusion Indonesian healthcare professionals believed that, for culturally congruent advance care planning in Indonesia, it was essential to respect the cultural aspects of collectivism, communication norms, and patients’ religious beliefs.

Background Around 70% of breast cancers (BCs) are estrogen receptor-α (ERα)-positive. Adjuvant endocrine therapy is used to reduce estrogen levels and inhibit signal transduction through the ER. The anti-estrogen drugs that are most commonly used in endocrine therapy belong to the selective ER modulator (SERM) class and include tamoxifen. Although it has been used for three decades in cases of early-stage and ERα-positive BC, resistance to tamoxifen is a common problem. microRNAs (miRNAs) have a potential role in demonstrating BC resistance to tamoxifen therapy. Hence, there is a need to investigate the expression of miRNA-221 (miR-221) in luminal-subtype BC patients receiving tamoxifen therapy. Methods This case-control study investigated luminal-subtype BC patients who had undergone endocrine therapy for at least 1 year. The case group comprised patients with local or metastatic recurrence, and the control group comprised patients without local or metastatic recurrence. Results There was a significant difference in miR-221 expression ( p = 0.005) between the case and control groups. There were no significant differences between the groups that were positive and negative for the progesterone receptor (PR) ( p = 0.25), had high and low marker of proliferation Ki-67 levels ( p = 0.60), were positive and negative for lymphovascular invasion ( p = 0.14), and had stage 2 and stage 3 cancer ( p = 0.25). Conclusion miR-221 expression was higher in tamoxifen-resistant BC cases. miR-221 is a potential biomarker of tamoxifen resistance.

The therapies applied were surgery (45.6%), radiation (63.6%) and chemotherapy (57.6%). The survival rate after one year is 60.6% and after two years was 12.1%. In addition, median survival of tongue cancer patients was 20 months (95% confidence interval 9.07-30.9). The significant factor affecting survival was size of tumor with a hazard ratio of 3.18 (95% CI, 1.02-9.93; p 0.046) for largest versus smallest categories. Conclusions: In each year, the number of tongue cancer incidents in Indonesia is increasing. The age of tongue cancer patients in Indonesia is younger compared to other countries. Moreover, the survival rates are not high.