Indonesia Cancer Foundation Yogyakarta keeps educating the society on the risk and prevention of cancer. In the occasion, they held a seminar on recognizing and preventing cancers (nasopharyngeal, thyroid, gland lymph nodes) on Tuesday (8/4) in dr. Sardjito General Hospital.
This event presented several keynote speakers, they were dr. Mardiah Suci Hardianti, Ph.D. Sp.PD-KHOM., dr. Camelia Herdini, M.kes. Sp.THT-KL, dr. Artanto Wahyono, Sp.B., and dr. Sri Retna Dwidanarti, Sp.Rad(K) Onk.Rad.
dr. Camelia who came from Faculty of Medicine UGM explained several diagnoses of nasopharynx cancer which can be identified by performing complete amnesis, physical examination on ears, nose, and throat, nasendoscopy, and nasopharynx biopsy. dr. Camelia further explained nasopharynx cancer can be recognized from its symptoms such as chronic nasal congestion and runny nose accompanied by mucus blood spots. Despite being classified into malignant cancers, nasopharyngeal cancer can still be treated. The treatment can be performed through radiotherapy, chemoradiation, and chemotherapy based on the cancer stadium.
“Nasopharyngeal cancer can be prevented by consuming vegetables and fruits, avoid smoking, drinking eight glasses of mineral water per day, regular exercise, and avoid food which can cause nasopharyngeal cancer such as salted fish and preserved food,” said dr. Camelia.
Meanwhile, a presentation regarding lymphoma was delivered by dr. Mardiah Suci Hardianti, Ph.D. She explained various symptoms of lymphoma involving painless swelling of lymph nodes, cramping and bloating of abdomen, night sweats, fever, headache, and breathlessness. dr. Suci further explained the causative factors of lymphoma can be influenced by age factor, gender, infection obesity as well as radiation.
“Lymphoma can be treated by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and biological therapy,” said dr. Suci.
dr. Suci also explained several myths which live in society regarding chemotherapy. One of them is chemotherapy can cause nausea and vomiting, while according to dr. Suci, nausea and vomiting are depended on the kind of medicine used by the patient. Another myth is chemotherapy causes hair loss. dr. Suci also denied the myth because not all of the chemotherapy patients suffering hair loss. It is also depended on the kind of medicine they use.
Meanwhile, Vice Head of Indonesia Cancer Foundation Yogyakarta, Dra. I. M. Suwarsih hopes this seminar can give comprehension on cancer to the society. Suwarsih also hopes the participants spread out the information to the others.