Cancer, one of the burdens shouldered by the global health sector, was put on the table at an international seminar in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on August 30.

The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Cancer Association, Hue Central Hospital and Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, saw the participation of over 400 delegates both from home and abroad.

Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Thang, Deputy Director of Hue Central Hospital, said cancer is one of the world’s leading killers after heart disease, with about 12 million cases recorded every year, resulting in 7 million deaths.

According to the doctor, in Vietnam, the figures stand at around 150,000 and 70,000 respectively.

Although the national target programme on cancer prevention has existed for many years, Vietnam’s health sector still faces a lot of challenges in fighting the deadly disease, Thang noted.

He pointed to overcrowding in cancer departments of hospitals and health centres as a pressing issue.

The seminar received 100 scientific reports from domestic and international cancer experts, under which they sought ways to treat various types of cancer.

Participants were updated on early detection and new treatment methods for lung, gastric and nasopharyngeal cancer.

According to the World Health Organisation, lung, stomach, liver, colon and breast cancer cause the most cancer deaths each year, which are projected to rise to over 13.1 million in 2030.-VNA