Pan-Asian adapted ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis, staging and treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer.

The most recent version of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis, staging and treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) was published in 2021. A special, hybrid guidelines meeting was convened by ESMO and the Korean Society of Medical Oncology (KSMO) in collaboration with nine other Asian national oncology societies in May 2022 in order to adapt the ESMO 2021 guidelines to take into account the differences associated with the treatment of MBC in Asia. These guidelines represent the consensus opinions reached by a panel of Asian experts in the treatment of patients with MBC representing the oncological societies of China (CSCO), India (ISMPO), Indonesia (ISHMO), Japan (JSMO), Korea (KSMO), Malaysia (MOS), the Philippines (PSMO), Singapore (SSO), Taiwan (TOS) and Thailand (TSCO). The voting was based on the best available scientific evidence and was independent of drug access or practice restrictions in the different Asian countries. The latter were discussed when appropriate. The aim of these guidelines is to provide guidance for the harmonisation of the management of patients with MBC across the different regions of Asia, drawing from data provided by global and Asian trials whilst at the same time integrating the differences in genetics, demographics and scientific evidence, together with restricted access to certain therapeutic strategies.

Experience of treatment of lung cancer patients using paclitaxel and carboplatin.

Nineteen patients with stage III & IV nonsmall cell lung cancer were treated with a regimen containing paclitaxel and carboplatin at Dharmais National Cancer Center Hospital and Pertamina Central General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. There were 14 males and 5 females, the histologic diagnosis being adenocarcinoma in 13 patients, squamous carcinoma in 5 patients and adenosquamous carcinoma in 1 patient. Fourteen patients were in stage IV, 4 had stage IIIB, and one had stage IIIA disease. The regimen contained paclitaxel 135-200 mg/m2, combined with carboplatin 300 mg/m2 or AUC 6 mg/ml.min, given every 3 weeks. Those who underwent at least 3 cycles of chemotherapy were followed up until death. Objective improvement (PR) was seen in 12 patients or 63%; 2 had stable disease (11%) and 5 had progressive disease (26%). Two patients are still alive at 17.5 months and 19 months after starting chemotherapy. The one-year survival rate was 58%, and median survival time was 14 months.