Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Xuyen, President of the , speaks at the event. (Photo: VNS/VNA)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – A project has achieved significant results improving
breast cancer management in Vietnam by raising the community’s awareness,
increasing early diagnosis to enhance treatment capability and building a
diagnosis and treatment database.
A workshop was held to review the project on improving access to innovative
therapies for high-risk breast cancer patients at key hospitals after three
years of implementation in Vietnam.
The five-year project was jointly implemented by the Vietnam Medical
Association (VMA), the Ministry of Health and Roche Pharma Vietnam from 2020 to
2025.
At the event, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Xuyen, President of the VMA,
said: “Every year, Vietnam reports over 24,500 new breast cancer cases and more
than 10,000 deaths, most of whom are women. Addressing this problem, the joint
project was the very first strategic initiative targeting breast cancer in Vietnam.
“The project achieved significant progress in all of four key pillars:
Awareness campaigns on breast cancer reached more than 7 million. Breast cancer
early-stage diagnosis rates soared from under 30% to 75%. 431
patients have been supported via Roche’s Patient Support Programme, total
medicine support value 67 billion VND.”
General Director of Roche Pharma Vietnam Lennor Carrillo said that the project
marked significant progress in enhancing early access to diagnosis and
treatment for breast cancer patients and promoting women’s health in Vietnam.
“Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cause of cancer death in
women,” said Carrillo.
“However, healthcare advancements in diagnosis and treatment have
significantly increased the chance of cure. Research showed that an astounding
90% five-year survival rate is observed when breast cancer is detected and
treated at an early stage.”
He also expressed his commitment to sustainably improving breast cancer
diagnosis, treatment and management in Vietnam.
Experts said that for many years, only 30% of breast cancer patients were
diagnosed at the early stages of the disease due to limited public awareness of
breast cancer. To resolve this issue, the project has raised public awareness
to increase early breast cancer detection rates among high-risk women.
As of 2023, data from K (Cancer) Hospital shows that the proportion of breast
cancer patients diagnosed at early stages has increased to more than 75%.
A significant number of medical staff have been provided training on
multidisciplinary treatment and clinical research at five key hospitals,
including The K Hospital, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi Oncology Hospital, Ho Chi Minh
City Oncology Hospital, and Cho Ray Hospital, which has contributed to a
measurable improvement in the quality of examination and treatment.
To improve access for breast cancer patients to innovative therapies, the
Vietnam Health Economics Association, along with experts from Hanoi University
of Pharmacy, Hanoi University of Public Health, and the Health Strategy and
Policy Institute, have completed 11 health-economic research projects. These
include an overview of breast cancer screening and treatment payment policies
in different countries, as well as an evaluation of the cost-effectiveness and
budget impact of some breast cancer treatment drugs.
Within the framework of the project component, Roche Pharma Vietnam has
implemented a patient support programme for breast cancer patients across 18
hospitals. As of December 2023, 431 patients have benefited from the programme
with a total support value of more than 67 billion VND (2.7 million USD).
Another important objective of the project is to build a database for breast
cancer diagnosis and treatment. Two studies have been completed, including the
epidemiological map of cancer diseases and cost assessment of cancer treatment
solutions in 2018–20, and the epidemiological characteristics and treatment
costs of breast cancer in Vietnam.
The National Cancer Institute also developed a set of criteria for breast
cancer registration. A report on breast cancer registration activities at
hospitals has also been conducted across six hospitals.
When the indicators within the criteria set are used to register cancer
directly on the information system of the and Vietnam Social
Security, data can be extracted quickly and accurately, reducing the need for
manual collection and making an important contribution to cancer management and
prediction in Vietnam./.
Source: VietnamPlus
