Breast cancer is the third most common form of cancer among Vietnamese women.(Source: International Agency for Research on Cancer, GLOBOCAN) In Hanoi, breast cancer strikes 32 women in every 100,000 and the incidence of female cancers in Hanoi appears to be increasing. Unfortunately, Vietnam’s national health system is ill-equipped to meet its rising medical demands. (Source: National Cancer Hospital).
PHJ, wishing to extend to Vietnam the successful achievements and design of the cervical cancer prevention education program in Thailand – such as promoting testing and follow-up visits with patients, began a trial program in January 2011. Upon reviewing the successful first-year trial program, a second-year program was initiated in January 2012 at a different target site in Hanoi.
Since 2013 PHJ worked with the Vietnam Women’s Union to expand and implement this project for three years in northern Vietnam.
Goal：To reduce breast cancer morbidity and mortality among women through increased awareness, access to breast screening, breast self-examination in Hanoi. To refer all abnormal cases for further examination and treatment
Activities
Organization
Leader: PHJ Regional Director of Thailand and Vietnam (nurse)
Partners: Vietnam NGO（CASCD) in 2011 and 2012, Vietnam Women’s Union since 2013, Women’s Self Help Club, National Cancer Institute (K Hospital), Red Cross
Activity Program
•Training of breast self-examination trainers
•Developing educational materials
•Visiting the target sites to conduct education and training on breast cancer information and breast self-examination
•Six-month review and evaluation
•Follow-up with breast cancer patients (coordination with the K Hospital to extend the appropriate treatments)
Goal and Achievements
First year（2011） Goal
1,200 women (70%) aged 30-75 in six wards of Hanoi receive training
Achievements
•1,234 women (goal was 1,200 women) aged 30-75 received breast cancer education and breast self-examination training
• Eight (8) women that found lumps in breast self-examination were referred to the hospital for examination. Three were diagnosed cancer cases. Two were diagnosed breast cancer patients and received breast extraction operations. One individual diagnosed with ovary and cervical cancers received ovary and uterus extraction operation. Among the other five women with lumps, three are receiving examinations, one was diagnosed with inflammation of the mammary gland, and the fifth woman was found to be normal.
Second year（2012） Goal
1,200 women (70%) aged 30-75 in other six wards of Hanoi receive training
Achievements
• 1,211 women in six provinces received received breast cancer education and breast self-examination and
the knowledge improvement exceeded the goal in five provinces.
• Among the 14 women that found lumps were referred to the National Cancer Hospital and three were diagnosed
breast cancer and received operations.
Third year（2013) Goal
3500 women aged 35 to 70 in five Northern Vietnam provinces including Hanoi receive breast cancer education and breast self-examination
30 Vietnam Women’s Union staffs receive trainer training
Achievements
• 41 Vietnam Women’s Union staffs received trainer’s training to provide 3,794 women aged 30-70 in five provinces including Hanoi breast cancer education and breast self examination training.
• Among 86 women that found lumps in breast self-examination, 76 were diagnosed with benign tumor and six of them were referred to the National Cancer Hospital to remove tumors. Other 10 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and received operations.
Fourth year（2014) Goal
5000 women aged 35 to 70 in five Northern Vietnam provinces receive breast cancer education and breast self-examination
30 Vietnam Women’s Union staffs receive trainer training
Achievements
• 41 Vietnam Women’s Union staffs received trainer’s training to provide 6,113 women aged 30-70 in five provinces breast cancer education and breast self examination training.
• Among 16 women that found lumps in breast self-examination. SIx (6) women were diagnosed with breast cancer and received operations. Follow-up checks were extended to all these women that found lumps.
Fifth year（2015) Goal
5000 women aged 35 to 70 in five Northern Vietnam provinces including Hanoi receive breast cancer education and breast self-examination
30 Vietnam Women’s Union staffs receive trainer training
Achievements
• 41 Vietnam Women’s Union staffs received trainer’s training to provide 7,315 women aged 30-70 in five provinces breast cancer education and breast self examination training.
• Among 29 women that found lumps in breast self-examination, 7 women were referred to the hospital. Follow-up checks were extended to all these women that found lumps.
• At the ceremony to appreciate the completion of the project in January 2016, the Vietnam Women’s Union President highly evaluated the project accomplishment and declared to continue this worthy project as a part of its national women’s health care program.