Bone Cancer Day in Indonesia

Bone Cancer Awareness Day is commemorated annually on 11 April in Indonesia. It is to raise public awareness about bone cancer and encourage people to undergo regular medical check-up as early detection is the key to managing this disease effectively.

Bone cancer affects both children and adults and is caused by the formation of aberrant bone cells. It can affect any bone in the body, although it is most common in the long bones of the arms and legs.

The cause of bone cancer is idiopathic. A small number of cases have been linked to several factors, including genetic diseases, Paget’s disease (a disease that weakens the bone’s function), exposure to chemicals, and radiation.

Bone cancer is rare, comprising only 5% of the total cancer cases in the world. Compared to other types of cancer such as breast, prostate, and lung cancer, the number of people with bone cancer in Indonesia is not particularly large, but its fatality rate is high.

According to the 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) data, the prevalence of tumors or cancer in Indonesia has increased from 0.14% of the population in 2013 to 0.179% in 2018.

Early detection offers the best chance for successful treatment, so people with known risk factors are encouraged to visit their doctor regularly and discuss their personal risk for developing bone cancer.