The Ministry of Health is embarking on a significant project to enhance cancer treatment by establishing a proton radiotherapy center. This advanced facility will be located across three major hospitals: K Hospital, Hue Central General Hospital, and Cho Ray Hospital. Investment and construction are slated to begin this year, with the goal of completion between 2026 and 2030. This initiative aims to address the growing need for effective cancer treatment options within the country.
Three radiotherapy centers in three regions
According to the Global Cancer Organization (Globocan), Vietnam records approximately 180,000 new cancer cases and over 120,000 cancer-related deaths annually. Around 60 percent of cancer patients undergo radiotherapy as part of their treatment.
Although the number of cancer patients is increasing, the network of cancer treatment facilities in the country only has 11 specialized oncology hospitals in nine provinces and cities; 23 oncology centers and institutes in 13 provinces and cities; 78 oncology departments in 61 provinces and cities. Tay Ninh and Binh Phuoc provinces do not have specialized oncology units. Vietnam also only has 85 linear accelerator radiotherapy machines, meeting 60 percent-70 percent of the basic treatment needs of patients.
Many linear radiotherapy machines in Vietnam have been in operation for 10 to 15 years and frequently malfunction, disrupting treatment and making the battle against cancer even more challenging. Oncology experts emphasize that radiotherapy is the most widely used and essential method in cancer treatment.
Around 60 percent of multimodal cancer treatment regimens include radiotherapy, a method with few contraindications that can be applied at all disease stages—from curative treatment to palliative care for late-stage cancer.
To meet growing demand, Vietnam plans to establish a proton radiotherapy center. Associate Professor Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, stated that immediately after the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, the Ministry of Health met with relevant agencies to accelerate the project. This project aims to strategically locate these advanced treatment facilities in the Northern, Central, and Southern regions.
Currently, the overall project is being developed, including three sub-projects of three hospitals (K Hospital, Hue Central General Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital) which will be invested in 2025, striving to complete during the 2026-2030 period.
Hospitals are prepared to participate in the project
According to Dr. Nguyen Tri Thuc, Deputy Minister of Health and Director of Cho Ray Hospital, many developed countries in the world such as the US, Japan, Germany, France, UK, Russia, China and some countries in the Southeast Asian region including Singapore and Thailand have been widely applying proton radiotherapy techniques to improve the quality of cancer treatment.
Proton therapy, a cutting-edge cancer treatment, is becoming increasingly accessible worldwide. Currently, there are 123 operational proton radiotherapy centers across the globe. The United States leads the way with 43 centers, demonstrating its commitment to advanced medical technology. Europe follows with a significant presence of 34 centers, while Asia is rapidly expanding its capacity, with Japan having 26 centers, China 7, and other countries like South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Taiwan (China) also offering this treatment. This global expansion reflects the growing recognition of proton therapy's benefits in providing precise and targeted cancer treatment.
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Tri Thuc said that investing in building high-quality cancer treatment centers, equipped with advanced radiotherapy systems at regional and world levels, especially proton radiotherapy, is an urgent issue to attract cancer patients to receive treatment domestically, so they do not have to go abroad for treatment.
He revealed that Cho Ray Hospital has dispatched a team of two engineers and one doctor to an Indian proton therapy center to study how to use this advanced radiotherapy technique.
According to Professor Le Van Quang, Director of K Hospital, the hospital sees a high volume of radiotherapy patients, treating approximately 800-900 individuals daily. Despite this significant number, the hospital's capacity remains insufficient to meet the ever-growing demand for cancer treatment.
To prepare for the construction of a proton radiotherapy center in the North, the hospital is finishing procedures to soon start construction of its fourth facility in Hanoi’s Thanh Tri District on an area of about 8.6 hectares. The new site will feature a state-of-the-art proton radiotherapy center equipped with the latest global radiotherapy technology, along with an on-site radioactive isotope production facility. The center will specialize in treating neurological cancers, particularly in children, as well as lung and prostate cancers.
Similarly, Hue Central Hospital will also expand and develop its infrastructure by starting construction of the International Hospital of the second phase costing VND300 billion (US$11.81 million). Moreover, a proton radiotherapy center worth VND2,000 billion is going to be built soon.
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