Representatives of the Medical Service Administration and Roche Vietnam sign an MoU on improving liver cancer prevention on May 10. — VNS Photo Thanh Hải

HÀ NỘI — The health ministry’s Medical Service Administration (MSA) and Roche Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding on improving liver cancer management in Việt Nam for 2022-23 on May 10.

Liver cancer is the leading cancer type in Việt Nam in terms of both morbidity and mortality, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the main cause.

In the next two years, the cooperation programme, entitled Live Longer, aims to increase the community’s awareness of liver cancer and build health capacity in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of liver cancer.

“Cancers, especially liver cancer, are a leading threat to human health and life. The Live Longer cancer management programme will be an important piece of the MoH’s strategy for managing liver diseases and the National Plan for Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health Disorders for the next five years,” said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Trường Sơn at the signing ceremony.

The programme will be implemented by MSA and Roche Vietnam in cooperation with the Department of Health Insurance under the MoH, the Vietnam Association for Study of Liver Disease (VASLD), and six hospitals, including K hospital, Bạch Mai, Hà Nội Oncology hospital, HCM University Medical Centre, HCM City Oncology hospital and Chợ Rẫy hospitals.

The programme will focus activities on increasing awareness of liver cancer for the public, including people at high risk and enhancing access to systemic treatment for liver cancer patients with innovative treatments.

It will also help improve the efficiency of liver cancer diagnosis and treatment for medical facilities, including improving screening, policies to support professional activities, and guidance on the treatment of liver cancer; as well as developing criteria to operate and evaluate the effectiveness of multimodal operations.

“We are pleased to continue to accompany the medical industry in this new project for liver cancer patients in Việt Nam. We believe that the project, when officially put into operation, will create a solid foundation for improving the quality of life and survival time for liver cancer patients in Việt Nam,” said Lennor Carrillo, general director at Roche Vietnam.

Liver cancer is the most prominent type of cancer in Việt Nam, with hepatocellular carcinoma accounting for as many as 90 per cent of cases.

According to a Globocan report (2020), there were around 26,500 incidences of liver cancer a year in previous years, accounting for 14.5 per cent of all cancers.

Liver cancer also leads in mortality rates with over 25,270 cases, accounting for 21 per cent of the total number of cancer deaths, 3.8 times higher than the 6,700 lives claimed by traffic accidents in 2020.

In Việt Nam, most patients are detected with liver cancer at a late stage. Routine liver cancer screening every six months for high-risk groups could drastically improve detection and survival rates.

Therefore, raising public awareness for early screening and improving medical capacity as well as patient access to the most appropriate and advanced therapies at each stage are effective solutions in the prevention and treatment of liver cancer. — VNS