Hanoi (VNS/VNA) -  The Ministry of Health and Vietnam MedicalAssociation will work together on improving access to innovative therapies for high-riskbreast cancer patients in Vietnam during 2020-25 as part of a Memorandum ofUnderstanding signed on January 19.

The project aims to increase the rate of early breast cancer detection amongwomen and improve access to advanced therapies for high-risk breast cancerpatients.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said that five to 10 years ago, over70 percent of breast cancer patients visited hospitals and got treated at alate stage. In recent years, thanks to the communication campaigns, especiallythe national project on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseasesincluding cancer, the rate of cancer patients getting medical examination andtreatment in the early stages has increased.

“The implementation of the project on improving access to innovative therapiesfor high-risk breast cancer patients in the 2020-25 period” will contribute tothe overall goal of the National Strategy on prevention and control ofnon-communicable diseases, including cancer. As this project is implementednationwide with cooperation between all levels of health departments andagencies, it is expected to bring positive and sustainable changes, leading tothe improvement of Vietnam’s capability to respond to cancer," saidHuan.

“This is the first project in Vietnam dedicated to breast cancer withunprecedented scale and number of partners, all in hope of helping cancerpatients. The more healthcare professionals receive training to improve theircapabilities of treating cancer, the more the workload will be reduced for eachdoctor and improve the quality of treatment for patients,” President ofVietnam Medical Association Nguyen Thi Xuyen said.

To achieve this goal, the Ministry of Health and Vietnam Medical Associationwill cooperate on increasing early detection of breast cancer through raisingpublic awareness, screening for breast cancer, developing policy andprofessional guidance on breast cancer screening. The two sides will alsostrengthen capabilities of medical systems for breast cancer diagnosis andtreatment, develop a real-world data system on breast cancer and optimisecurrent data and conduct general research on cost-effectiveness policy onbreast cancer screening status, survey drug use in treatment of high riskbreast cancer patients.

“Roche is committed to working with Vietnam to address healthcare challengesthrough a variety of activities. RocheVietnam is honoured to accompanythe Vietnam Medical Association and Ministry of Health in a verymeaningful project, bringing new hope to breast cancer patients in Vietnam,"said Girish Mulye, Chief Representative of Roche Vietnam.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in both developed anddeveloping countries. Breast cancer incidence is on the rise in developingcountries due to longer life expectancy, rapid urbanisation and changes inlifestyle.

According to the Global Cancer Observatory (Globocan2020), in Vietnam, breastcancer ranks first among all types of women’s cancer, the number of new casesis 21,555 people, accounting for 25.8 percent of cancer incidents in bothgenders, taking third place (after liver and lung cancer). The average age ofbreast 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 livercancer, lung cancer and stomach cancer. The age-standardised mortality rate ofbreast cancer is 13.8 per 100,000 people./.