Professor Ibnu Purwanto, a lecturer at the UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK UGM), was inaugurated as a professor of internal medicine on Tuesday (Aug. 27) at the Senate Hall, UGM Central Office.
During the inauguration ceremony, Professor Purwanto delivered a speech titled “Transformation in the Management of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: The Role of Multidisciplinary Teams and Molecular Therapy.”
In his presentation, Professor Purwanto highlighted that breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women, with triple-negative breast cancer being a more aggressive type.
He emphasized that managing this type of cancer requires a strategy that prioritizes molecular therapy and is based on a multidisciplinary team approach.
“A multidisciplinary team consists of professionals from various health fields who plan and provide integrated patient care,” said Professor Purwanto.
He explained that the multidisciplinary team plays a crucial role in managing patient care by considering various medical and personal aspects, which can improve treatment outcomes and patients’ quality of life.
He detailed that this team includes medical oncologists who manage and plan systemic therapy, surgical oncologists who perform biopsies and tumor removal, pathologists who analyze tumor tissue samples and establish diagnoses, radiation oncologists who plan and deliver radiation therapy, and radiologists who conduct and interpret imaging studies.
In addition to these specialists, the multidisciplinary team also involves oncology nurses, dietitians, and psychologists.
“This cross-disciplinary collaboration ensures the best possible patient care,” he said.
Professor Purwanto noted that a multidisciplinary approach to breast cancer management offers several benefits, both from a patient and cost perspective.
He cited a study showing that breast cancer patients managed by a multidisciplinary team had better survival rates, with a five-year survival rate 15.6% higher compared to those managed without such an approach.
From a cost perspective, he mentioned that patients managed by a multidisciplinary team incurred lower healthcare expenses than those not handled this way.
However, he also noted challenges in the field, such as uneven distribution of human resources for breast cancer care and regulations governing multidisciplinary teams.
“Therefore, it is essential to address issues related to the availability of experts, regulations, and fair remuneration,” he stressed.
The Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Professor Ova Emilia, stated that Professor Purwanto is one of the 452 active professors at UGM. At the faculty level, he is one of 63 active professors out of a total of 131 professors at FK-KMK UGM.
Author: Lazuardi
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afif