The number of cancer cases in Vietnam has increased by 2.6 times over more than two decades, now exceeding 180,000 new cases each year; the disease pattern has also changed.
Cancer data in Vietnam, as well as globally, is surveyed and recorded annually by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (Globocan), with findings published regularly. The latest data, Globocan 2022, was released in 2023. As of 2024, there is no cancer data for 2023.
According to this data, in 2000 Vietnam recorded over 68,000 new cancer cases. The number has gradually increased each year, surpassing 182,000 cases in 2022, which is a 2.6-fold increase over 22 years.
Globocan 2022 also reported that more than 122,000 people in Vietnam died from cancer that year, placing the country among those with high cancer mortality rates globally, while the incidence rate remains average. Vietnam ranks 91st out of 185 countries in terms of new cancer incidence, but the mortality rate ranks 50th and is increasingly rising on the global scale. The reason is believed to be that many people are diagnosed at late stages, leading to death.
The five leading types of cancer are breast, liver, lung, stomach, and colorectal cancer. Except for breast cancer, which can be detected early with a cure rate of over 90%, the other four types are very dangerous with high mortality rates, especially liver and lung cancer. This reflects the difference in cancer types in Vietnam compared to Europe, where skin cancer predominates and is less dangerous.
Previously in Vietnam, cervical cancer was the most common, followed by liver, lung, breast, and stomach cancers. By gender, in men, liver cancer leads in new cases, followed by lung, stomach, colorectal, and prostate cancers. In women, the top five cancers by incidence are breast, lung, colorectal, stomach, and liver cancers.
“The data indicates that the cancer disease pattern in Vietnam has changed compared to 20 years ago,” said Professor Nguyen Chan Hung, former president of the Vietnam Cancer Society.
To make this assessment, Professor Hung evaluated that the increase in cancer cases is due to multiple factors such as aging population, increased life expectancy, changing living environments, and pollution in air and water. The older the age, the more time accumulates and exposure to risk factors increases, thus raising the incidence rate.
Habits such as alcohol consumption, smoking, unhealthy eating, and irregular lifestyles are contributors to cancer. For instance, a diet low in fruits and vegetables and high in fats and proteins increases the risk of colorectal cancer and many other cancers. High consumption of pickled vegetables containing nitrates and nitrites can lead to esophageal and stomach cancers. Consuming moldy food containing aflatoxins can cause liver cancer.
In agreement with this view, Dr. Lam Trung Hieu, head of the Palliative Care Department at the Oncology Institute and Nuclear Medicine, Military Hospital 175, added that another reason is the continuous development of medicine, providing more diagnostic tools for early cancer detection. The public now has better access to cancer screenings, leading to more people being diagnosed. Furthermore, thanks to increasingly advanced treatment methods, patients are living longer, resulting in more follow-ups for cancer.
“Increased follow-ups do not necessarily mean an increase in new patients, but also includes patients who have survived many years post-treatment and maintain regular check-ups,” Dr. Hieu clarified.
These factors have impacted the changes in many cancer types that have been prevalent in Vietnam for years. For example, cervical cancer used to be the leading type but has now dropped to the 11th place in new cases. This is thanks to more women actively seeking screenings and early treatment, catching pre-cancerous changes before they progress to cancer. Additionally, many have received the cervical cancer vaccine in recent years, contributing to a decrease in disease rates.
Since 2018, the number of liver cancer cases has surpassed lung cancer, ranking first in both new cases and mortality rates in Vietnam. Both types have poor prognoses and low survival times, which is also why the cancer mortality rate in the country is among the highest globally.
Vietnam is also among the countries with the highest rates of liver cancer. Professor Hung explained that the higher liver cancer incidence in men compared to women is due to men consuming more alcohol and tobacco. Both genders have many individuals infected with hepatitis viruses, but men engage in “more bad habits,” leading to a higher likelihood of progressing to liver cancer compared to women.
In women, breast cancer remains prevalent and even shows a slight increase as more women are not getting married, not having children, having fewer children, and not breastfeeding—factors that increase breast cancer risk. Additionally, a more affluent lifestyle leading to overweight and obesity, along with less physical activity, also raises the risk. The good news is that cancer diagnosis and treatment methods for breast cancer are increasingly advanced, allowing for earlier detection and successful treatment.
In early-stage cancer, patients can undergo breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy and easily have new breasts reconstructed. There are now many highly effective cancer treatment drugs, such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapies, and targeted therapies. These conditions contribute to breast cancer now having one of the highest cure rates among all cancers.
Patients waiting for a check-up at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, facility 2, Thu Duc City, on June 10. (Photo: Quynh Tran)
In the context of rising case numbers, many hospitals in Vietnam are organizing oncology specialties to treat patients. Hospitals are conducting training and transferring techniques, building networks for cancer prevention with other hospitals and localities to close the gap in access to diagnostic services and treatment quality. As a result, frontline hospitals have reduced pressure, and people can receive high-quality medical services right in their localities.
Recent studies have recorded that some cancer conditions have been detected early with good treatment outcomes thanks to medical advancements. On the other hand, health insurance also plays an important role in developing diagnostic and treatment techniques, as well as caring for cancer patients.
Doctors recommend that the public enhance awareness of prevention through a healthy lifestyle, balanced diet, limiting processed foods, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, and engaging in regular physical exercise. Vaccination is also advised. Annual health checks should be conducted, and individuals should seek medical attention immediately if abnormal signs arise. Proactively screening for cancer early according to age and risk group recommendations is crucial.
“Participate in health insurance as it is a safety net in case of illness, especially cancer,” Professor Hung advised, adding that cancer treatment is a long, personalized process, and thus the costs can be very high.
