Delegates launch the partnership to implement Việt Nam’s National Action Plan for Breast Cancer Prevention and Control for the 2026-35 period. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

NGHỆ AN — Nghệ An Oncology Hospital, the National Institute for Cancer Control, and Roche Pharma Vietnam will partner to implement Việt Nam’s National Action Plan for Breast Cancer Prevention and Control for the 2026-35 period.

The partnership will support the development and implementation of the Nghệ An Action Plan on Breast Cancer Control, aligned with the National Action Plan for Breast Cancer Prevention and Control for 2026–35.

Several provinces are developing local breast cancer control plans. This partnership aims to go beyond planning by translating these commitments into detailed, practical, and actionable implementation.

Nghệ An was selected as the pilot locality because it meets all the practical conditions necessary to implement the National Action Plan. There are currently no specific data regarding breast cancer incidence rates or the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis in the province. Establishing these baseline figures is the first task outlined in the memorandum of understanding.

The parties will implement the work in two phases. First, a rapid assessment will be conducted at the provincial oncology hospital, the Centre for Disease Control, district health centres and commune health stations to establish baseline indicators regarding the disease burden, system capacity, and patient admission and treatment processes.

Doctors perform a CT scan on a patient at the Nghệ An Oncology Hospital. — Photo courtesy of the company

These findings will then be translated into an action plan — covering objectives, indicators, the assignment of responsibilities, and resource planning — for submission to the competent authorities.

Second, the plan moves into practice: standardised procedures and referral pathways; tiered training and coaching; community mobilisation prioritising mountainous and ethnic minority districts. It will also organise an early detection pilot with navigation through to a completed diagnosis; better quality in imaging, pathology and ER/PR/HER2 assessment alongside multidisciplinary case review; standardise multimodal treatment and continuity of care; and provincial monitoring across the full care cascade.

"Our goal is to establish a unified pathway across the province, from commune health stations to treatment at the provincial hospital, with healthcare staff at all levels trained to the same professional standard. Every step of this journey will be rigorously measured and documented, so that this model can be replicated in other localities without having to start from scratch,” said People's Physician, Dr. Phạm Vĩnh Hùng, Director of Nghệ An Oncology Hospital.

Delegates attend the 10th Scientific Conference of Nghệ An Oncology Hospital. — Photo courtesy of the company

These priorities map onto the National Action Plan, which by 2035 calls for 60 per cent of invasive breast cancers to be detected at an early stage, 80 per cent of women with a suspicious finding to be confirmed within 60 days, and 80 per cent of patients diagnosed with breast cancer to receive multimodal treatment and complete their course.

"The pilot project in Nghệ An represents a strategic implementation step, focusing on standardising processes, enhancing capacity, and ensuring execution is responsive to actual needs. Project outcomes will be rigorously monitored and evaluated to identify effective solutions, allowing us to refine this model and establish a validated blueprint for replication in other provinces," said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trần Thị Thanh Hương, Deputy Director of the National Institute for Cancer Control under the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital.

Roche Pharma Vietnam has maintained operations within the country for more than three decades. Its breast cancer partnership initiative with the healthcare sector, active since 2013, has facilitated complimentary screenings for 80,000 high-risk women and provided specialised training for 600 healthcare professionals, thereby contributing to an increased rate of early-stage breast cancer detection. In 2025, the organisation signed an agreement with the Administration of Maternal and Children's Affairs to support the formulation of the National Action Plan for Breast Cancer Prevention and Control.

Mr Burak Pekmezci, General Manager of Roche Pharma Vietnam, speaks at the event. — Photo courtesy of the company

"As a global leader in healthcare, Roche has dedicated decades to advancing breast cancer care. Throughout this journey, one truth remains constant: while awareness and screening can shift the treatment paradigm, early diagnosis only saves lives when followed by immediate, high-quality treatment. Nghệ An is where we are translating this principle into a measurable, scalable blueprint for other provinces to adopt. Our focus is clear: to elevate clinical capacity, expand access to innovative therapies, and ultimately, transform patient outcomes," said Burak Pekmezci, General Manager of Roche Pharma Vietnam.

The three parties aim to minimise the time between the initial detection of an anomaly and the commencement of effective therapeutic intervention, while concurrently establishing a documented framework that is suitable for replication in other provinces.

According to statistics from the National Institute for Cancer Control, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Vietnamese women, with nearly 25,000 new cases and approximately 10,000 deaths each year. More than 60 per cent of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and five-year survival is around 74 per cent. — VNS