Planning and implementation of Japan-Indonesia joint study of skin cancer

Skin cancer appeared to be an important cancer problem in Indonesia and Japan. Based on common interest of the problem, a joint study between Japan and Indonesia on skin cancer has been established. Three fold-study, namely epidemiological, clinical and histopathological aspects have been designed. Vie collaborative study has been initiated by consultation meetings and building Of multidiscplinary teams, for both Japanese and Indonesian sides. The preparation of the joint project has been initiated by the development of proposal with approval of the Dean and submitted to the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture Japan The proposal includes the identification of scientific problems, the objectives, the significance and the merit for both sides, including exchange of knowledge, skill and transfer of technology. The management of the research project followed five phases, namely defining & planning, organization, controlling and termination, with adjustment to research project by applying five elements of science. The collection of data has been planned by developing standard forms for clinical study, histopathological study and questionnaire for epidemiological study, accompanied by its manual for interviewers. The organization of data collection ami processing involved all team members following special flowchart and Gannt chart. Periodic progress report was made after every consultation meeting. Both similarity and dissimilarity of the findings between Indonesian and Japanese skin cancer cases were analyzed. Preliminary results of the joint study were presented and discussed in One Day Symposium and other national and international scientific meetings. The papers are to be published in a monograph in the Medical Journal of Indonesia and other international journals.