In Vietnam, cardiovascular diseases and cancer are highly prevalent non-communicable diseases. Cardiovascular diseases cause about 200,000 deaths annually, topping causes of death (over 30 percent of fatalities from chronic non-communicable diseases), while cancer claims around 120,000 lives.

Experts note that in Vietnam’s cardiovascular disease pattern, conditions like rheumatic heart disease and valvular disease are declining, but diseases from atherosclerosis, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, and stroke are rising. Causes include poor diet, unhealthy lifestyles, stress, and more.

For stroke alone, Vietnam reports 200,000 new cases yearly, over 11,000 deaths, and 100,000 disabilities. Stroke recurrence rates range from 15-40 percent. The disease trend has changed: previously affecting those over 60, it now strikes younger people, even under 20.

Reports cited by Thanh Nien indicate that each year, Vietnam records nearly 180,500 new cancer cases and over 120,000 cancer deaths. With a population exceeding 100 million, roughly 180 per 100,000 people are diagnosed with cancer, and 120 die from it.

The World Health Organization projects that by 2040, new cancer cases in Vietnam will rise by about 59.4 percent, and cancer deaths by about 70.3 percent.

Experts assess that while Vietnam’s new cancer incidence isn’t among the world’s highest, its mortality rate is concerning, reflecting late-stage diagnoses that reduce treatment effectiveness.

A national disease burden survey shows 74.3 percent of the disease burden comes from non-communicable diseases, with cancer among the top 10 causes. Cancer treatment costs are a major economic burden. In 2023, cancer drug spending reached VND7,521 billion, the highest in health insurance fund drug expenditure.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. According to the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN), in 2022, over 2.2 million women worldwide were diagnosed with breast cancer, with more than 666,000 deaths. Vietnam recorded about 24,563 new cases, accounting for 28.9 percent of all cancers in women.

The disease causes over 10,000 deaths annually, equivalent to 8.3 percent of cancer deaths in Vietnam. The incidence rate is 49.6 per 100,000 women.

Worried about life-threatening diseases, many healthy, young people seek whole-body CT scans to screen for certain cancers or detect stroke risks from conditions like narrowed blood vessels, atherosclerosis, or vascular malformations. Media often encourages early cancer screening via CT scans, as early detection can improve cure rates for many cancers.

On the sidelines of a pre-conference workshop on applying Photon CT in cardiovascular and oncology diagnostics, organized by Phuong Dong General Hospital and the Vietnam Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Association, Professor Pham Minh Thong, Chair of the Association, said CT scans can generally be used to screen for cancer and stroke.

However, not everyone needs it, and it shouldn’t be applied universally. Clear medical indications are required, based on risk factors, age, or medical history,” Professor Thong emphasized.

He gave an example: for lung cancer screening, high-risk individuals can use low-dose lung CT or Photon CT (a newer technology with very low X‑ray dosage). Similarly, for those at risk of cardiovascular issues, especially coronary artery disease, diabetes, or stroke, CT scans can detect early lesions.

Overusing CT scans for screening is not only costly but also poses radiation exposure risks, or “eating X-rays,” especially with repeated scans.

“Overuse of ‘eating X-rays’ not only affects individuals but also raises the nation’s overall radiation background,” Professor Thong warned.

Frequent CT scans may increase risks of thyroid cancer and other malignancies. Thus, he advised following doctors’ indications, screening only when necessary, not annually. CT scans for children and pregnant women should be limited, localized, with protective shielding and clear medical justification.

According to Thong, while older technology only detected centimeter-sized lesions, Photon CT’s high resolution can identify malignant lesions just a few millimeters in the liver, lungs, or coronary arteries, even without clinical symptoms. In practice, some patients had recurrent liver cancer detected at just a few millimeters. Early detection enabled radical treatment, preventing metastasis.

In recent years, early-stage breast cancer detection (stages 0, 1, 2) in Vietnam has reached 76.6 percent, compared to 52.4 percent in the 2008-2010 period. Experts say that with early diagnosis, the 5-year survival rate can reach 90 percent, and for younger patients, the 10-year survival rate in early stages exceeds 80 percent.

Vo Thu