Vietnam moves to establish proton radiation therapy centers to improve cancer treatment

Dr. Ha Anh Duc, head of the Department of Medical Services Administration under the Ministry of Health, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday that the agency plans to establish three proton radiation therapy centers in northern, central, and southern Vietnam.

3 major hospitals proposed for proton radiation therapy centers

Each proposed center would be built at one of three major hospitals in Vietnam, namely K Hospital in Hanoi, Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, and Hue Central Hospital in Hue City.

The proposal will be submitted to the ministry’s leadership for review, along with the establishment of an editorial and drafting committee.

Proton radiation therapy is widely regarded as one of the most advanced cancer treatment methods available today, as it can precisely target tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Compared with conventional radiotherapy using linear accelerators, proton therapy causes fewer side effects and is particularly beneficial to elderly patients and children.

Despite growing demand amid a rising number of cancer cases, Vietnam currently does not have any proton radiation therapy facilities.

According to Dr. Duc, the proposal is being developed based on practical conditions and careful calculations to ensure effective operation and improved quality of medical services.

He noted that while proton therapy systems require highly trained personnel, human resources can be developed in parallel with project implementation, and treatment indications are not expected to pose major difficulties.

The main challenge lies in the substantial investment needed to build such centers, making thorough planning essential.

The ministry expects to complete the proposal in 2026, with its implementation envisioned for the 2026-30 period.

Once operational, the centers are expected to help Vietnamese patients access advanced treatment domestically, reduce the financial burden of overseas care, and strengthen the country’s overall medical capacity.

Lack of facilities forces patients to seek treatment abroad

The absence of proton radiation therapy facilities has forced certain cancer patients, particularly children with complex tumors, to seek treatment abroad at high cost.

One such case involved a 12-year-old patient from Ho Chi Minh City diagnosed with neuroblastoma located near vital structures, for whom conventional treatment proved increasingly ineffective.

After years of repeated surgeries and chemotherapy, the disease continued to relapse and side effects worsened.

In late 2025, the family decided to take the patient to Singapore for proton radiation therapy, paying about US$55,000 out of pocket.

Following 18 treatment sessions over one and a half months, doctors successfully controlled the tumor with high precision while minimizing damage to surrounding organs.

The patient has since returned to school and normal daily life.

Similar cases are seen as many Vietnamese cancer patients travel to countries such as Singapore or Thailand for advanced radiotherapy, facing treatment costs that can run into tens of thousands of U.S. dollars.

According to data from the Global Cancer Observatory, Vietnam records about 169,547 new cancer cases each year, with around 60 percent requiring radiotherapy.

An estimated five percent of these patients, or about 8,938 cases, meet Group 1 indications for proton radiation therapy under recommendations by the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

Experts endorse proton therapy, recommend proper implementation

Professor Le Van Quang, director of K Hospital, said Vietnam has made encouraging progress in applying advanced radiotherapy techniques such as three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy, helping improve treatment outcomes.

However, many developed countries are now using particle radiation methods such as proton and heavy-ion therapy, which offer higher precision and safety for certain conditions than conventional photon and electron beams.

Investing in high-quality cancer centers equipped with advanced radiotherapy systems would allow patients to access world-class treatment in Vietnam, reduce the need for overseas care, and improve national cancer treatment standards, Quang said.

Dr. Dang Huy Quoc Thinh, former deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, described proton radiation therapy as one of the most advanced cancer treatment techniques currently available, allowing doctors to deliver high radiation doses directly to tumors while better protecting surrounding healthy tissue.

He cautioned, however, that proton radiation therapy is not a universal replacement for other cancer treatments, stressing that optimal outcomes still depend on a multidisciplinary approach combining surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Building and operating proton radiation therapy centers, he added, requires extensive human resources, complex infrastructure, and strict radiation safety controls comparable to those of a nuclear reactor.

Drawing on Singapore’s experience, Dr. Thinh noted that it can take up to eight years from project approval to the full operation of a proton therapy center.

This period covers infrastructure development and the establishment of standardized procedures and patient selection criteria to ensure the efficient use of national resources.