The event is taking place over two days, April 11 in Hanoi and April 12 in Ho Chi Minh City. Bringing together leading national and international experts, the symposium highlights the latest advancements in lung cancer treatment and introduces new indications approved by the Ministry of Health, expanding access to advanced solutions for patients in Vietnam.
According to the 2022 Globocan report, lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in Vietnam, with more than 24,000 new cases and over 22,000 deaths annually. Notably, limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) is a rapidly progressing form of the disease, prone to metastasis and associated with a poor prognosis. Meanwhile, unresectable Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 15–20% of all cases and represents a complex, difficult-to-treat patient population that imposes a significant economic burden, with the total cost of late-stage treatment in Vietnam estimated at over 684 billion VND in 2020. Despite the common use of chemoradiotherapy (CRT), recurrence and metastasis rates remain high, highlighting the urgent need for more advanced therapeutic solutions.
In response to these challenges, immunotherapy and targeted therapies are emerging as new approaches, particularly for patients with unresectable disease. Two prominent studies introduced at the symposium are ADRIATIC for limited-stage small cell lung cancer and LAURA for Stage III non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations. These studies emphasize consolidation therapy following chemoradiotherapy to prolong disease control and improve patient outcomes.
Specifically, findings from the ADRIATIC study show that consolidation treatment with Durvalumab following chemoradiotherapy can extend median overall survival to nearly 56 months. Meanwhile, the LAURA study demonstrated that consolidation therapy with Osimertinib significantly prolongs progression-free survival, with a median of 39.1 months compared to 5.6 months in the placebo group, while also reducing the risk of central nervous system metastases. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of post-chemoradiotherapy consolidation strategies to enhance long-term disease control and improve quality of life for patients.
Dr. Do Hung Kien, Deputy Medical Director and Head of Internal Medicine Department 1 at K Hospital, shared: "In Vietnam, the majority of lung cancer patients are still diagnosed at late stages, while access to consolidation therapy after chemoradiotherapy remains limited, leading to high rates of recurrence and metastasis. In practice, appropriate patient selection and timely initiation of consolidation therapy can significantly improve survival outcomes. Specifically, early EGFR mutation testing and standardizing the treatment pathway from the start will help ensure we don't miss the 'golden window' for treatment. To effectively implement these strategies moving forward, close multidisciplinary collaboration, strengthened diagnostic capacity, and the development of patient management models tailored to Vietnam’s healthcare context will be essential."
Through the introduction of new treatment solutions in Vietnam, AstraZeneca continues to collaborate with healthcare professionals and the broader healthcare system to enhance diagnostic and treatment capabilities, while supporting the sustainable integration of scientific advances into clinical practice.
Mr. Atul Tandon, Chairman and General Director, AstraZeneca Vietnam, stated: "We are committed to transforming cancer care through science, moving toward increasingly personalized treatment strategies. In lung cancer, innovations such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy are opening up new possibilities for patients, particularly in stages where treatment options were previously limited. AstraZeneca will continue to partner with the medical community and healthcare partners to bring advanced medical solutions to Vietnam, helping to bridge access gaps and drive sustainable improvements for cancer patients."
The symposium serves as a vital forum for local and international experts to share experiences in establishing standardized treatment pathways, utilizing real-world data, and optimizing patient management. These efforts aim to refine approaches in the Vietnamese context, enhancing treatment quality, streamlining care pathways, and expanding access to advanced therapies, aiming to improve both survival outcomes and quality of life for lung cancer patients nationwide.
