The symposium marks an occasion to reflect on a decade of MSD’s cancer immunotherapy, bringing hope to thousands of patients across Việt Nam. — Photo coutersy of Lê Tâm

HCM CITY — Over the past decade, the first cancer immunotherapy approved by the Ministry of Health has benefited more than 10,000 patients in Việt Nam, experts shared at a recent scientific symposium highlighting advances in cancer treatment.

That numbers were emphasised at a scientific symposium titled “A Decade of Accompanying with Thousands of Cancer Patients in Việt Nam” which was organised in Hà Nội and HCM City recently to share a series of clinical experiences and treatment data in treating cancer.

Organised jointly by MSD, in collaboration with K Hospital and HCM City Oncology Hospital, the symposium commemorated the first cancer immunotherapy from MSD approved by the Ministry of Health, which has been providing hope to cancer patients in Việt Nam for a decade. The event brought together nearly 300 oncology experts and physicians from across the country.

During the event, presentations by experts from leading hospitals including K Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, Hanoi Oncology Hospital, the National Lung Hospital, Chợ Rẫy Hospital, and Hanoi Medical University Hospital offered a comprehensive perspective on the application of cancer immunotherapy and treatment outcomes across multiple cancer types in Việt Nam.

“Over the past decade, the Vietnamese medical community has witnessed and directly experienced many important advances in cancer treatment, particularly in immunotherapy. The MSD’s cancer immunotherapy has added treatment opportunities for thousands of cancer patients in Việt Nam and has made a significant impact on oncology practice.

From a foundational scientific breakthrough, this approach has gradually become one of the treatment pillars across many cancer types, with outstanding advantages such as a selective mechanism of action, durable treatment efficacy, the ability to improve survival time, and broad applicability across different stages of disease,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Đỗ Anh Tú, deputy director of K Hospital.

Dr. Diệp Bảo Tuấn, PhD, specialist level II physician, director of Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, who also chaired the symposium in HCM City, commented: “After 10 years of working alongside Vietnamese clinicians, the first cancer immunotherapy approved by the Ministry of Health has affirmed its position as an important pillar in cancer treatment across multiple fronts. We have seen impressive outcomes, including significantly prolonged survival in certain lung cancer patients; breakthrough advances after more than four decades of stalemate in esophageal cancer treatment; or the establishment of a new approach by combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer patients.”

At the symposium, Dr. Jacquelyn Thomson, Medical Oncologist at the Peninsula University Hospital, shared the journey of cancer immunotherapy, from a scientific breakthrough in research to widespread adoption in clinical practice, helping change the lives of millions of patients worldwide. She noted that MSD’s cancer immunotherapy is now considered the fifth pillar of modern cancer treatment, with more than 40 approved indications across 104 countries, based on large-scale clinical trials and real-world treatment data.

Katharina Geppert, managing director of MSD Việt Nam, emphasises that including cancer immunotherapy in the national health insurance reimbursement list earlier would expand patient access and improve survival chances. — Photo courtesy of Lê Tâm

Katharina Geppert, managing director of MSD Vietnam, said: “Today’s symposium marks a meaningful milestone as we celebrate 10 years of MSD’s cancer immunotherapy being applied in cancer treatment in Việt Nam, a decade of trust and thousands of hopeful tomorrows.”

“We remain committed to working closely with hospitals to support patients’ access to treatment through patient access programmes with partial medicine support. We also hope that cancer immunotherapy will soon be included in the Health Insurance reimbursement list, so that more patients can access it sustainably, reduce the financial burden, and gain more chances of survival,” the managing director of MSD Vietnam added.

The symposium was not only an occasion to reflect on the development journey of cancer treatment science over the past 10 years, but also an opportunity for experts to update new advances in cancer immunotherapy in clinical practice.

In the coming years, MSD is committed to bringing more advanced cancer treatment solutions and accompanying Việt Nam’s medical community to help improve the quality of treatment for cancer patients across the country. — VNS