Delegates sign a Memorandum of Understanding on implementing a project on improving access to advanced therapies for high-risk breast cancer patients in Việt Nam during 2020-25 on March 18. — Photo Roche Vietnam

HCM CITY — The HCM City Oncology Hospital will join with the Vietnam Medical Association and Roche Vietnam in implementing a project on improving access to advanced therapies for high-risk breast cancer patients during 2020-25 as part of a Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 18.

Under the framework of the MoU, the hospital will focus on strengthening patient and community awareness about breast cancer and improving doctor’s breast cancer diagnosis and treatment ability at the hospital. Priority will be given to increasing access to treatment with advanced therapies for high-risk breast cancer patients yearly in the hospital and support optimising breast cancer diagnosis and treatment database built by the Vietnam Social Insurance and National Cancer Institute.

HCM City Oncology hospital director Phạm Xuân Dũng said that there was an increase in the rate of cures in cancer in general and breast cancer in particular day by day as result of the application of advances in medicine along with early detection and patient’s access to advanced therapies.

“However, Dũng said, breast cancer is still a health issue of social concern and requires the cooperation of the entire health sector and related agencies to develop overall intervention solutions that both raise awareness of the community and strengthen diagnosis and treatment capacity to minimise the financial burden for the patient and society.”

“Today's signing ceremony sets an important milestone in the project on improving access to advanced therapies for high-risk breast cancer patients in Việt Nam during 2020-25. We hope that the project will promote the spread of positive messages in the community, sparking hope for patients, especially those at high risk. Roche Vietnam hopes that the project will be an effective and enduring support for Vietnamese doctors and health systems in diagnosing, treating and minimising the burden that breast cancer brings,” said Girish Mulye, Chief Representative of Roche Vietnam.

The HCM City Oncology Hospital is the 5th medical facility in the country (along with K Hospital , Bạch Mai Hospital, Hà Nội Oncology Hospital and Chợ Rẫy Hospital) participating in the project.

HCM City Oncology Hospital also signed a cooperation agreement with Roche Vietnam in strengthening professional capacity building of the hospital's medical staff, improving connections and cooperation with domestic and foreign organisations and oncologists and carrying out activities for the interests of patients and the community.

According to the Global Cancer Observatory (Globocan2020), in Việt Nam, breast cancer ranks first among all types of women’s cancer, the number of new cases is 21,555 people, accounting for 25.8 per cent of cancer incidents in both genders. The average age of breast cancer incidence in women is 34.2 per 100,000 people. In both genders, breast cancer mortality rate ranks fourth (with 9,345 cases) after liver cancer, lung cancer and stomach cancer. The age-standardised mortality rate of breast cancer is 13.8 per 100,000 people. — VNS