Lung cancer is the number one cause of death in men.

Each year, Vietnam sees approximately 22,000 new cases of lung cancer and 19,500 deaths, making it the leading cause of cancer death among men.

Speaking at the conference“Targeted Therapy – A 10-Year Journey to Extending Survival for Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,” Dr. Pham Xuan DungThe Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital stated that the tumor...It is estimated that by 2020, the number of new lung cancer cases in both sexes in Vietnam each year will exceed 34,000. The disease significantly impacts the health and lives of patients because most are diagnosed at a late stage.

Globally, approximately 1.8 million new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed each year, and 1.6 million people die from it. In Vietnam, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Each year, the country sees around 22,000 new cases and 19,500 deaths from the disease.

Illustrative image: very well.

Dr. Vu Van Vu, Head of Internal Medicine Department 1, Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, stated that lung cancerLung cancer is divided into two major groups: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Among these, lung cancer...Non-small cell carcinoma is a common type of cancer with a high mortality rate. The majority of patients present at a stage of local or metastatic progression, or with distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis. The 5-year survival rate for these patients is very low, only about 5%.

According to Dr. Vu, treatment for non-small cell lung cancer has made significant progress over the past decade. Besides classic methods such as surgery, radiotherapy, and cytotoxic chemotherapy, molecular biology methods for identifying EGFR gene mutations have been developed, paving the way for the indication of new targeted therapies.Over one million patients with non-small cell lung cancer have been treated with erlotinib in more than 100 countries worldwide. In Vietnam, erlotinib has been used for patients for over 10 years, significantly extending survival times compared to conventional chemotherapy.

Early-stage lung cancer, or newly diagnosed cancer, often has no symptoms. Many people think they only need to see a doctor when they experience coughing, chest pain, coughing up blood, or swollen lymph nodes. By the time clinical symptoms appear, it's often too late. However, modern medicine understands that tumors develop from a small number of cells, often with genetic abnormalities and mutations, and grow slowly. Therefore, early detection allows for more effective treatment. Lung cancer, when detected with small lesions, can be completely cured through surgery.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology recommends that lung cancer is linked to tobacco use. The earlier and longer a person smokes, the higher their risk of developing cancer. Those who quit smoking after 15 years have a risk that is almost the same as non-smokers. Current and former smokers should undergo annual screenings.

According to VNE