Cancers in Vietnam—Burden and Control Efforts: A Narrative Scoping Review

Abstract

Although the burden of cancer is rapidly growing in Vietnam, there was no up-to-date review that describes cancer burden and control in Vietnam throughout the literature. By identifying various risk factors, means of prevention, and methods for early detection, this review seeks to systematically summarize the evidence for the future planning and management of cancer occurrence in Vietnam. Additionally, this report aims to identify improvements which are necessary for the treatment and palliative care of patients with cancer in Vietnam. We employed a hybrid approach including both a scoping review and narrative synthesis for this study. Information was identified, extracted, and charted from various sources, which include international and domestically published studies, in addition to gray literature. Our results illustrate that the burden of cancer in Vietnam has tripled in the past 30 years, and this situation could be partly explained by the growing prevalence of both old and new risk factors. Besides hepatitis B virus, various other important risk factors such as human papilloma virus, tobacco usage, physical inactivity, and improper diets are still not under control in Vietnam. There is presently a lack of national cancer screening programs, and the capacity of cancer care services could not maintain pace with the demands of a rapidly increasing Vietnamese population. Overall, policy frameworks for cancer control in Vietnam are in place, but there is still a lack of proper financing and governing models necessary to support a sustainable program. In conclusion, Cancer and its associated consequences are both persistent and emerging problems in Vietnam, and the results of cancer control programs are limited. A comprehensive and evidence-based approach toward the prevention and treatment of cancer should be the future direction for Vietnam.