VietNamNet Bridge – Bach Mai General Hospital has, for the first time, successfully treated two prostate cancer patients by using the radioactive seed implant technique.

Two first elderly patients with prostate cancer are successfully treated with the radioactive seed implant technique. — VNS Photo

Nguyen Dinh L, 80, and Tran Tu H, 63, from Ha Noi, are the first elderly patients treated successfully by the technique, which offers more hope for prostate cancer patients in Viet Nam.

"Radioactive seed implant is a safe and effective method that helps to reduce treatment time and improves the life quality for patients in the early stages of prostate cancer," said the hospital Deputy Director Mai Trong Khoa at a press conference this morning.

"With this technique, the doctor implants I-125 radioactive seeds into the prostate gland to kill cancer tissues. The technique allows a high dose of radiation to be delivered to the prostate with limited damage to surrounding tissues," said Khoa.

Khoa noted that the method can only be used to treat patients in the early stage of prostate cancer. Middle-aged men usually have a higher risk of prostate cancer than youngsters, so, they would need to go hospital for regularly screening of the disease to ensure early treatment.

This method has been used widely for treating prostate, breast and liver cancers in many developed countries such as the United States, Germany and Japan.

Having received this advanced technique from experts in the U.S., the hospital's cancer and tumour centre is the first medical facility to successfully apply it in Viet Nam.

Health ministry statistics showed that prostate cancer is increasing in Viet Nam. It is estimated that the country has about 1,300 new cases and nearly 900 deaths by prostate cancer annually. Prostate cancer in males is at 3.4 per every 100,000 and the fatality rate is 2.4 per every 100,000.

VNS