The Bright Future Fund for Cancer Patients, in collaboration with Roche Pharma Vietnam, launched the 2026 breast cancer awareness campaign on Monday.
The campaign, titled “Joining Hands for Her”, marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Vietnamese Women's Day on October 20.
Deputy Minister of Health Đỗ Xuân Tuyên said at the event that breast cancer is the most common cancer among women globally and in Việt Nam.
“Screening for the early detection of breast cancer is critically important. When detected early, the cure rate can reach 90 per cent, while treatment becomes more cost-effective and successful,” Tuyên said.
Tuyên said breast cancer treatment has advanced significantly in recent years. It now includes surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, as well as hormonal, targeted and immunotherapy. These methods have substantially improved the quality of breast cancer care.
Tuyên praised the annual campaign held every October and said it encourages women to listen to their bodies, prioritise their health and undergo screening for early detection.
“In recent years, the early detection rate for breast cancer has reached 76 per cent. When diagnosed early, the five-year survival rate can be as high as 90 per cent,” Tuyên added.
According to 2024 GLOBOCAN statistics, Việt Nam records about 25,711 new breast cancer cases each year. They account for 28.1 per cent of all cancer cases in women. More than 60 per cent of cases are diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment is harder and outcomes are poorer. The increasingly young age at which breast cancer occurs in Việt Nam is also a concern.
Psychological factors also make many women hesitant to undergo screening or lead them to delay it. Many seek medical attention only at an advanced stage, which complicates treatment and reduces its effectiveness.
The campaign therefore continues to raise awareness and encourage women at higher risk to undergo routine screening. This is the first step in a pathway that must continue through treatment.
Since 2013, Roche Pharma Vietnam has worked with the Bright Future Fund on the “Joining Hands for Her” campaign. Over 13 years, more than 80,000 women at higher risk have received free screening, and 600 healthcare professionals have been trained.
Burak Pekmezci, General Manager of Roche Pharma Vietnam, said: “Roche Pharma Vietnam has been honoured to work with the Bright Future Fund on this campaign for the past 13 years. Those years have shown that greater awareness and routine screening can change the way breast cancer is treated. As a global healthcare leader, Roche intends to remain a reliable long-term partner of Việt Nam's health sector, so that every diagnosis truly becomes a chance for a Vietnamese woman.”
As part of this year's campaign, the fund will hold a Breast Cancer Patient Forum in Hà Nội after the launch ceremony. The forum will provide patients with up-to-date and accurate information about treatment methods.
The forum will also give healthcare professionals and patients an opportunity to meet, share experiences and support one another during and after treatment.
The 2026 campaign is aligned with the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer Prevention and Control 2026–2035, issued by the Ministry of Health earlier this year. The campaign supports two of the plan's objectives: raising public awareness and prevention, and expanding screening and early detection among women at higher risk of breast cancer.
The annual campaign and the national plan link the stages of breast cancer care, from awareness and early detection to timely diagnosis and access to modern treatment. The plan sets targets for 2035 of detecting 60 per cent of breast cancers at an early stage, confirming a diagnosis within 60 days for women with a suspicious finding, and having 80 per cent of patients diagnosed with breast cancer complete their full course of treatment.
Sources: Viet Nam News
