Cho Ray Hospital has sent people to study, preparing to receive a radiation therapy system worth thousands of billions of dong.

Patients have PET/CT scans at the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology, Bach Mai Hospital ( Hanoi ) - Photo: NGUYEN KHÁNH

Speaking with Tuoi Tre Online after the news that Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai agreed to support the policy of building a proton radiotherapy system proposed by the Ministry of Health , Mr. NGUYEN TRI THUC said :

- I have not yet received an official document from the Government. But personally, I am very happy after the announcement from Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan (at the ceremony to hand over the decision to appoint 2 deputy directors of Cho Ray Hospital on March 6 - PV) that Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai agreed to support the policy of building 2 proton radiotherapy systems at K Hospital and Cho Ray Hospital proposed by the Ministry of Health.

When this information was transmitted, the medical community across the country was very happy, especially those working in the field of cancer treatment and cancer patients.

* And will investing in building this proton radiotherapy system solve the inevitable and urgent need for cancer treatment in Vietnam, sir?

- That was clearly shown after the announcement of Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan, the whole hall burst into applause.

Because this is a very essential treatment method that developed countries have applied effectively and needs to be available in Vietnam.

Simply put, proton radiotherapy will help "target" tumors without causing or minimizing damage to surrounding tissues. In particular, proton radiotherapy is especially beneficial for children with cancer.

This is different from conventional radiotherapy, which often has a very large impact on surrounding tissues, causing many side effects on the body's organs.

Because of these limitations and the fact that there is no proton therapy system in the country, many patients have had to go abroad for treatment, which is time-consuming and expensive.

According to Mr. Thuc, with just 3-6 months of studying abroad, Vietnamese engineers and doctors can master proton radiotherapy techniques - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

* At the time he made the recommendation, the concern was still focused on the problems in bidding and purchasing equipment and materials. Many experts agreed with his recommendation but thought it was just a "far-fetched dream"...

- I make this suggestion not out of fantasy and not without basis. I understand that Vietnamese oncologists are very good, with a solid foundation of professional knowledge, so it is completely possible to access this modern treatment method in just 3-6 months of studying abroad.

During several trips abroad to learn about the proton therapy system, I asked myself how long it would take to learn with the qualifications of the oncologists at K Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital and Cho Ray Hospital.

Foreign experts also admit that in just 3-6 months, Vietnamese doctors will be able to completely master this advanced technique.

* It is expected that one of these two radiotherapy systems will be located at Cho Ray Hospital. So what has the hospital proactively prepared?

- Of course, it takes 2-3 years to complete an important project like the construction of a proton therapy center. As for the expertise, we have no difficulty and we have sent a team of two engineers and one doctor to study abroad.

9 types of cancer that benefit from proton radiation therapy

Currently, developed countries in the world such as the US, Japan, Germany, France, UK, Russia, China and some countries in Southeast Asia (Singapore, Thailand) have been widely applying proton radiotherapy to improve the quality of cancer treatment.

As of 2023, the world has 123 active proton radiotherapy centers, of which the US leads with 43 centers, followed by Japan with 26 centers and China with 7 centers.

Proton radiotherapy is the most advanced external beam radiotherapy technique today. This technique allows for the precise delivery of an optimal dose of radiation to the tumor, including tumors with complex shapes located near healthy organs that are sensitive to radiation.

Especially when the tumor is located near organs of risk (OAR), proton radiotherapy is the optimal treatment.

Notably, at least nine types of cancer benefit from this technique, including prostate, eye, brain, head, neck, lung, esophageal, breast, liver, and childhood cancers.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/benh-vien-cho-ray-da-cu-nguoi-di-hoc-chuan-bi-don-he-thong-xa-tri-hang-nghin-ti-dong-20240307103302046.htm