At the commemoration of World Cancer Day 2025 on Tuesday, he informed that cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally and in Indonesia, with 408,661 new cases and 242,988 deaths recorded per year.
"Therefore, regular checks are a crucial step for controlling cancer (cases). The government is trying to strengthen cancer control with more focus and direction by launching the 2024–2034 National Action Plan for Cancer," Dante said.
The government is also developing a cancer care network with Dharmais Cancer Hospital as the national cancer caretaker.
This reflects their shared commitment to increasing the survival rate or success of cancer treatment in Indonesia, he added.
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The national action plan also includes early prevention through the free health screening program that will be run by the government from this year.
According to Dante, if more adequate early prevention is not carried out, the burden of cancer could increase by more than 70 percent, which could burden the health sector, society, and communities.
He added that detecting cancer in its early stages increases the chances of success and can even affect overall recovery.
"There are some great hopes in the effort to fight cancer, it has even been proven that up to 50 percent of cancer cases can be prevented by implementing a healthy lifestyle," Dante pointed out.
"In addition to prevention, early detection also plays an important role in increasing the chances of cancer recovery," he explained.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna Violleta, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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