VietNamNet Bridge – Rare cancers like cancers of the gum, lips, gallbladder, vagina and rectum have become more common in Viet Nam in the last decade, according to doctors.

Bach Mai General Hospital‘s Paediatrics Department admits 200-250 sick children daily. (Photo: VNS)

Since 2005, the hospital has treated 79 patients suffering from gum cancer since 2005, most of them around the age of 43.

If treated early, nearly 90 per cent of the people survive.

In the last 20 years, the hospital has also admitted and treated 162 patients with vaginal cancer.

In addition, Professor Van Tan of Binh Dan Hospital said that many patients had been hospitalised due to gallbladder cancer.

Since June 2006, he and his colleagues have performed surgery on 7,456 patients with cholecystitis, inflammation of the gallbladder.

Eighty patients were found to suffer from gallbladder cancer, most of them aged about 55.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, 700 people in Viet Nam have gallbladder cancer.

An average of 7,400 patients had been diagnosed with rectal cancer every year, Tan said.

Most of them were hospitalised during the late phase of the disease because they had been trying to treat themselves.

The symptoms of some cancers are often not clear, leading to misunderstanding and late diagnosis.

Patients with cholecystitis were often diagnosed with hepatitis, which has similar symptoms.

Patients went to drugstores to buy medicine without going to hospitals for check-ups. Doctors have advised patients to seek medical help before self-treating unusual symptoms.

* Capital city sees rise in infectious diseases

Medical experts said there had been a surge in pathogen-borne illnesses such as flu, rubella, chicken pox and mumps since the start of the lunar new year.

In the first six weeks of 2011, 78 people from 14 districts and towns were diagnosed with A/H1N1 flu, said Nguyen Nhat Cam, director of Ha Noi Preventive Medicine Centre.

He said most of the A/H1N1 cases were women and HIV/AIDS patients with impaired immune systems.

Nguyen Thanh Mai from the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology said there was always a rise in the number of infectious diseases at this time of the year. "A/H1N1 flu is caused by a virus and affects the lungs. Anybody who comes into close contact with an infected person is at risk," he said.

He also said there had been 109 cases of petechial fever – a type of skin rash.

Cam said there were between 10-20 people coming down with chicken pox each week.

On a better note, he said there had been no outbreaks of cholera in the capital.

"So far this year there haven't been any cholera cases or outbreaks of A/H5N1, polio or diphtheria," he said.

Nguyen Hong Ha, deputy director of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said there had been 40 patients admitted with rubella, A/H1N1 flu and acute diarrhoea this month.

"Most A/H1N1 patients were minor and all were cured," she added.

However, Ha said the exact number of people infected with A/H1N1 was difficult to determine because medical centres could not carry out the necessary tests.

"Residents should not be too worried about the disease, but they should be vigilant," Ha said.

The elderly, children and pregnant women are particularly at risk of contracting A/H1N1 flu. She said they should immediately seek medical attention if they developed a high temperature and respiratory problems.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Loc, a doctor at the National Paediatrics Hospital, said young children were particularly at risk of contracting respiratory diseases, mumps and rubella at this time of year.

Loc said children usually recovered by themselves from rubella within three to five days.

"There is no specific cure for rubella. The best thing to do is to isolate the patient," she said, adding that children should be vaccinated against mumps and chicken-pox.

Chicken-pox is more common between January and May.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, deputy director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said all those over six months old should be vaccinated against common infectious diseases.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News