Cancer patients at K Hospital
“Around 70% of patients diagnosed with cancer are already at stage three or four, leaving the percentage of those who can be effectively treated low," said associate professor, Dr. Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Director of Hanoi-based K Hospital.
According to doctor Thuan, Vietnam has 150,000 new cancer cases and 75,000 cancer-caused fatalities each year. It has been estimated that anywhere from 240,000 – 250,000 Vietnamese people are currently living with some types of cancer.
The number of patients who come in for check-ups at K Hospital has risen dramatically. In 2007, 2,476 women came to the hospital mammograms, while the number had risen 3,011 in 2011. The number of those who got their lungs check in 2007 was 1,199, compared to 2,059 in 2011.
Over the past years, many new oncology centres have been established in the country, with six cancer treatment hospitals and 35 specialised oncology departments in general hospitals. However they still are struggling to meet the demand for treatment.
This problem is not unique to Vietnam. Many other countries around the world have seen rising rates of cancer, especially of the lung, stomach, liver and intestines, Mr. Thuan said.