The number of cervical cancer cases in Việt Nam
has fallen by half in the last 30 years thanks to a nationwide network of
health facilities providing gynaecology screening, according to Professor Nguyễn
Chấn Hùng, chairman of Việt Nam Cancer Association.
Hùng told
Việt Nam News that gynaecological examinations and tests for the presence of
precancerous or cancerous cell on the cervix were available at most health
facilities in the country.
In
addition, people’s awareness of the need for regular examinations and tests
also improved, he said.
“Patients
can get more timely treatment to prevent the development of cancer, which has
resulted in a drop in cervical cancer,” he added.
Vaccinations,
which are given to women under a certain age, have also reduced the incidences
of cancer, he added.
According
to International Agency for Research on Cancer’s Globocan 2012, a report on
incidences, mortality and prevalence of cancers in 184 countries, showed that
Việt Nam had a lower prevalence of cervical cancer than many other countries,
including Cambodia, Myanmar and others in the region.
“People
should not be too anxious about this cancer because with early diagnosis and
treatment, the rate of recovery is 80-90 per cent,” he said.
However,
it should not be disregarded, Hùng said. Whenever women have excessive vaginal
bleeding, they should visit a doctor.
According
to a report from Globocan 2012, Việt Nam reported 5,146 new cervical cancer
cases in 2012.
Speaking
at a conference about cervical and ovarian cancers held on Saturday in HCM
City, Dr Vũ Văn Vũ, head of medical oncology ward No 1 at HCM City Oncology
Hospital, said: “Cervical cancer still is a challenge for the country, and HCM
City.”
The
cancer still is one of the leading causes of death among women¸ with more than
2,400 dying each year.
In cases
of late detection, the five-year survival rate is only 16 per cent.
Increasing survival rate
Late last
year, the drug bevacizumab, which the Ministry of Health approved to be used in
the country, began to be used with chemotherapy. It has helped increase the
survival rate for patients in the last stage of cancer.
In 2014,
the US Food and Drug Administration approved bevacizumab solution for
intravenous infusion in combination with chemotherapy.
At a
conference held by the Việt Nam Cancer Association in co-operation with HCM
City Oncology Hospital and HCM City representative office of Hoffmann-La Roche,
Dr Mary McCormack, consultant Oncologist at London’s University College
Hospital, said that doctors should note side effects and have careful patient
selection before treatment.
Adverse
complications such as wound healing, hypertension and thrombosis can also be
avoided by appropriate planning for treatment, she said.
In Việt
Nam, the drug and chemotherapry combination is used for treatment for patients
in the last stage of cancer, including ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer
The
Globocan 2012 showed that Việt Nam had 1,229 new cases with ovarian cancers in
2012.
The
prevalence of ovarian cancer was the lowest in the region.
However,
most cases of cancer are detected in the last stage because ovarian cancer
often has similar symptoms to digestive diseases.
Hùng said
that the cancer could occur at any age, including children.
He said
women should have periodic health check-ups, including abdominal ultrasounds
which are one of the ways to detect tumours in ovaries.
Even if
tumours are noncancerous, they should be watched by doctors frequently, he
said.
“Tumours
can reoccur, and become worse,” he added.
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