More than 50 female doctors specialising in cancer treatment participated in the “Empower Women for Women” Season 2 event, held on March 9, 2024, at FV Hospital. This special event continues the success of the first season, which took place on the occasion of International Women’s Day in 2022.

Raising awareness and enhancing professional expertise in the screening and treatment of breast cancer

Opening the event, Vu Truong Son, MD, MSc, Deputy Medical Director of FV Hospital, expressed his gratitude and congratulations to all participants on International Women’s Day. Dr Son shared, “I have great admiration for female doctors, who often have to put in double the effort of their male counterparts, balancing passion for their work with caring for their families.” He also hopes that the updates in the event will contribute to increasing awareness of breast cancer among patients, especially in the early screening aspect.

In the role as initiator of the event, Dr Basma M’Barek, Head of Hy Vong Cancer Care Centre, shared that this year’s event is different as it has received participation from male colleagues, bringing openness in exchange and somewhat providing encouragement for female doctors in their work. “I hope that when leaving the event, everyone will have updates close to international guidelines and practical for Vietnamese patients. From there, it can inspire career development and elevate the role of women in the healthcare field,” emphasised Dr Basma.

The programme is divided into three parts. The first two parts consist of presentations aimed at updating knowledge on breast cancer treatment – the leading cancer type in terms of patient numbers in Vietnam. Meanwhile, the third part is dedicated to exchanging and sharing experiences around the theme “Learning and enhancing specialized cancer treatment at international healthcare facilities.”

In the opening section with the theme “Breast cancer in the era of new supportive treatments” and the second part, “Breast cancer in the era of genetic testing,” the chairperson, Cung Thi Tuyet Anh, MD, PhD (Senior Lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy), reviewed the research achievements of the speakers in the program and led discussions by posing questions to help participants better understand the shared content. Additionally, the other two chairpersons, Dr Basma M’Barek and Vo Kim Dien, MD, MSc (Deputy Head of Hy Vong Cancer Care Centre), assisted in synthesising the overarching content of each section.

In the first part of the programme, Dr Basma M’Barek opened the topic “Dual HER2 Blockade in Breast Cancer” and shared practical experiences in treatment at FV. Participating during a working visit to FV, surgical oncologist Dr Pornchanok Juvongvanich (National Cancer Institute, Thailand) presented various perspectives on breast cancer surgery after neoadjuvant therapy. The presentation provided fresh insights into breast cancer treatment protocols from the medical field in Thailand.

Concluding this section, Dr Vo Thi Phuong Thao (Hy Vong Cancer Care Centre) shared a clinical case at FV. Dr Thao emphasised the consideration of various factors such as treatment response, application stages, and patients’ financial situations to provide a comprehensive and effective treatment tailored to breast cancer patients.

Updating modern methods through international learning efforts

In part two, themed “Breast cancer in the era of genetic testing,” doctors shared knowledge infused with the power of modern technology. To start, Dr Basma provided an overview of the reality of breast cancer treatment at Hy Vong Cancer Care Centre, using genetic testing methods.

Delving deeper into this topic, Dr Tran Thi Phuong Thao (Hy Vong Cancer Care Centre) presented details on “Breast cancer treatment with Olaparib.” Dr Thao also emphasised that due to cost considerations, careful evaluation of the disease stage and the patient’s quality of life during treatment, is necessary, and transparent discussions with the patient should take place before prescribing targeted therapies such as Olaparib.

Continuing this section, Dr Nguyen Huynh Ha Thu (Hy Vong Cancer Care Centre) shared details of a clinical case involving a patient under 50 years old with breast cancer classified as T3N0M0, with a family history of breast cancer in relatives under 50 years old. Dr Thu detailed the interdisciplinary consultation process at FV and economic considerations for the patient, leading to the decision of treating with chemotherapy alone and combining with surgery or using PARP inhibitors (such as Olaparib) in combination with chemotherapy before surgery.

Ending this section, the Medical Director of the Gene Solutions Institute of Medical Genetics, Nguyen Duy Sinh, MD, PhD, clarified the role of Circulating Tumour DNA (CtDNA) in the treatment and monitoring of breast cancer. Dr Sinh’s scientific citations demonstrated the advantages of this method in monitoring progression and providing prognosis for patients suspected or diagnosed with breast cancer.

In the highly anticipated final part of the programme, guest speakers shared their perspectives on the question, “Should training in oncology be pursued abroad, and what should young female doctors do when deciding to study in their home country?”. All speakers agreed that if there is an opportunity to study abroad, it should be seized. With the experience of the first generation of oncologists who studied and worked in France, Prof. Tuyet Anh and Dr Dien shared valuable stories about understanding their study desires, choosing specialties, seeking opportunities, and acquiring necessary knowledge while studying abroad.

Meanwhile, with the perspectives from the younger generation and practical experience, Dr Duy Sinh and Dr Basma sent words of encouragement and inspiration to female doctors, urging them to be determined in pursuing their specialties and developing their careers at advanced medical centres worldwide. Finally, Dr Son also affirmed that FV is actively promoting training through partnerships with doctors in Vietnam and internationally. This will provide opportunities for doctors at FV and other hospitals to learn from leading experts in various medical fields.

The event “Empower Women for Women” season two has continued its success by bringing practical benefits. In addition to helping Vietnam build more effective treatment protocols by applying international guidelines, the program also contributes to honouring and supporting women working in the healthcare sector, especially female doctors in the oncology field.