The Ministry of Health in coordination with the fund to support cancer patients yesterday jointly launched a campaign “Screening breast cancer at the age of 40” at the Medicine University Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Minister Tien emphasized that more young women suffer the disease.
In 2010, around 12,533 breast cancer cases were reported nationwide yet Vietnam is forecast to have 22,612 new cases of breast cancer a year by 2020, as cancer of many types is on the rise
Breast cancer patients can have chance of survive if their ailment is early detected and treated. For instance, the survival rate is about 80 percent if patients are cured at first stage but it reduces 60 percent if they are cured at second stage.
The disease kills around 4,500 people a year.
Due to psychological factor, Vietnamese women hesitate diagnosis; accordingly , their ailment is detected in late stage leading to longer treatment and waste of money.
As a result, from October 14 to November 11, the fund in coordination with hospitals having tumor department in Hanoi, the central province of Thua Thien – Hue and Ho Chi Minh City provide gratis medical check-ups including clinical examination, breast scan and X-ray for 10,000 women at the age of 40 up who are diagnosed to have malignant tumor for early detection.
In Hanoi, free screening will be carried out at the hospital for cancer, Bach Mai hospital and Tumor hospital. In Thua Thien – Hue province, women can undergo free screening of cancer at the Central Hospital while their counterparts in HCMC can have screening at Tumor Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital and Medicine University Hospital.
Additionally, the program will provide gratis diagnosis and screening to workers in industrial parks Tan Thuan in district 7, Tay Bac in outlying district Cu Chi and Sai Gon Sapuwa Company.
