Đà Nẵng Oncology Hospital uses high technology in cancer treatment and diagnosis. VNA/VNS Photo Văn Dũng

ĐÀ NẴNG — An average of about 120,000 new cancer cases are discovered and more than 75,000 patients die from this disease a year in Việt Nam, according to the Ministry of Health.

The statistics were revealed at the 5th conference on "Cancer Prevention and Control in Đà Nẵng City in 2023" held on Thursday and Friday in Đà Nẵng City.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Health Trần Văn Thuấn suggested that leaders of the Departments of Health of the provinces, cities, and medical facilities continue to implement synchronous measures to further improve the quality and effectiveness of the treatment with the motto of taking the patient as the centre.

Promoting communication and health education on preventive measures and cancer screening and early detection according to national and international recommendations are also important, he noted.

The national cancer prevention and control network needs to work more strongly by consulting and proposing to the health ministry and the Government to develop a cancer prevention and control plan with an orientation for the next 10-20 years. In the immediate future, relevant agencies must ensure that the targets in cancer control are met by 2025, the deputy minister said.

Trần Thành Thủy, an official of the Department of Health of Đà Nẵng City, said that after being organised four times, this conference has demonstrated the development of the medical examination, treatment, and scientific research capacity of the Đà Nẵng health sector. Through the conference, the delegates will have new treatment orientations, appropriate research, and new information in cancer examination and treatment, thereby contributing to improving the quality of cancer examination and treatment, serving the protection and care of people's health, the official said.

The event was held by Đà Nẵng Cancer Hospital, Việt Nam Cancer Society, K Hospital, Hồ Chí Minh City Cancer Hospital, and other cancer prevention facilities with the participation of more than 700 local and international experts, managers, and health workers. 

The conference was organised with one plenary session and 20 thematic sessions with more than 110 reports.

In 2020, Việt Nam ranked 90th of 185 countries in terms of the number of new cancer cases and 50th in mortality rate per 100,000 people. — VNS