Dharmais Hospital Applies Genetic Testing Technology to Maximise Cancer Therapy

The National Cancer Centre at Dharmais Cancer Hospital has officially begun implementing Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, a modern method for reading genetic material sequences (DNA and RNA) massively, quickly and accurately, to strengthen precision diagnostic services. This innovative step is aimed specifically at patients with breast cancer, lung cancer, and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL). The hospital’s President Director, Dr Eniarti, explained that strengthening precision diagnostic services is crucial given the high number of cancer cases in Indonesia and the complexity of disease characteristics that differ in each individual. Breast cancer and lung cancer still dominate cancer cases in the country. NGS technology arrives as a cutting-edge medical solution that enables comprehensive genomic biomarker mapping, whether through tissue or blood samples. With this technology, the medical team can obtain a more detailed molecular picture. This greatly assists doctors in determining the most appropriate treatment steps in line with the patient’s specific condition, known as personalised medicine. An internal medicine specialist and consultant in medical haematology-oncology at the hospital, Dr Eka Widya Khorinal, added that NGS is capable of examining various genomic biomarkers in just a single testing procedure. Dr Arif Riswahyudi Hanafi, a pulmonary specialist and thoracic oncology consultant, emphasised the importance of biomarker data, stating this information is vital for lung cancer patients, particularly those diagnosed at an advanced stage. Similarly, surgical oncology specialist Dr Abdul Muhaimin Husein reminded that breast cancer is not a uniform disease; patients with the same diagnosis can have different therapy responses depending on their genetic profile. Through the implementation of NGS, Dharmais Cancer Hospital hopes to broaden patient access to modern, evidence-based diagnostics. The innovation is expected not only to improve service quality but also to enhance clinical outcomes or recovery rates for cancer patients in Indonesia.