Expanding the 'door of hope' for children with cancer

A paediatric cancer patient is receiving radiotherapy at Huế Central Hospital. VNA/VNS Photo

HUẾ CITY – Advancements in modern medicine and social support have brought greater hope to child cancer patients at Huế Central Hospital. Over the past 20 years, the survival rate of these children has significantly increased.

In the past, a cancer diagnosis often felt like a death sentence leading some to abandon treatment for their children.

However, with the remarkable progress in modern healthcare and the care and support of society, the 'door of hope' for paediatric cancer patients at Huế Central Hospital continues to open wider. The survival rate of child cancer patients treated here has risen dramatically, from 20 per cent in 2014, to 70 per cent in 2024.

Leading in paediatric radiation therapy

Doctors and technicians supervising the radiotherapy process. VNA/VNS Photo

The automatic doors to the radiation therapy room opened at the exact moment a nearly two-year-old child woke from anaesthesia, crying out for her mother.

Doctors, nurses and technicians from Radiation Unit 2 at the Oncology Centre of Huế Central Hospital breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing that they had administered anaesthesia correctly and precisely — a crucial technique in paediatric radiation therapy.

At that point, the child’s mother was called in to comfort her child, while the medical team helped move the patient into recovery.

The child, Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Nh., too young to comprehend her battle against sarcoma, had endured surgeries and chemotherapy since she was just ten months old. The stress of these treatments caused her to cry and resist every time she lay in the radiation therapy system. As a result, the medical team decided to use anaesthesia to optimise her treatment outcomes.

Her mother said that the disease began with abnormal abdominal swelling. From that moment, she abandoned her job and left her two other young children with relatives in her hometown to follow Tuyết Nh.’s treatment from Hà Nội to Huế. Fortunately, after several rounds of radiation therapy at Huế Central Hospital, Tuyết Nh.’s health improved slightly, her appetite returned and she vomited less frequently.

As a doctor, Dương Thảo S. from Vinh City of Nghệ An Province, understood the gravity of her daughter’s midline glioma, a malignant tumour in a dangerous location, making surgical removal impossible.

Radiation therapy became the only option to slow the tumour's growth. The mother recounted that her daughter was initially admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, under the joint care of the Oncology Centre for both medical treatment and radiation therapy.

Due to her young age, the child found it challenging to cooperate with treatment. However, with the persistence and encouragement of the medical team and the use of safe anaesthesia, her daughter has now completed half of her radiation sessions, with her health indicators gradually stabilising.

Unlike adult radiation therapy, paediatric radiation therapy is more complex, requiring collaboration among specialists in paediatric oncology, paediatric anaesthesia, paediatric radiation and experienced radiation technicians. For children under five years old, who often cannot cooperate, anaesthetised radiation therapy is essential. Even slight movements during treatment could render the session ineffective.

According to Dr Ngô Dũng, head of Anaesthesia and Resuscitation Department B at the hospital, administering anaesthesia for paediatric radiation therapy is like an art. It requires the establishment of an intravenous line for both medication and resuscitation, ensuring the child remains absolutely still. There is no standardised approach, each child’s condition and the nature of their illness dictate the anaesthesia method used.

Anaesthetised radiation therapy is a significant challenge for oncology centres in Việt Nam. Currently, only a few centres in the country can perform this technique. Dr Phan Cảnh Duy, the deputy director of the Oncology Centre, explained that paediatric radiation therapy was vastly different from adult oncology, requiring additional specialised training for doctors. Few radiation oncologists ventured into this challenging yet vital field.

“We are fortunate to have undergone training courses both domestically and internationally, becoming active members of the global paediatric oncology community,” Duy said.

“From adult radiation oncology, we have developed a deep understanding of paediatric cancer and can now deliver treatments in line with national and international protocols.

“Over the past decade, paediatric radiation therapy at our centre has steadily developed, becoming a trusted destination for colleagues across the country,” he said.

According to Professor Phạm Như Hiệp, the hospital’s director, as a top-tier multidisciplinary hospital, Huế Central Hospital is equipped with highly trained specialists and state-of-the-art radiation machines capable of advanced techniques.

As a result, the hospital’s radiation therapy quality is on par with neighbouring countries like Thailand and Singapore. Its treatment protocols align with those agreed upon in the Asia-Pacific region.

'Medicine' for the spirit

A volunteer playing with a young cancer patient in the hospital's Space for Children. VNA/VNS Photo

Brain cancer, spinal tumours, neuroblastoma, kidney cancer and bone cancer are common types of childhood cancer.

Typically, children must endure 10 to 30 radiation therapy sessions, spending much of their childhood in hospital.

One might expect that battling a life-threatening disease would leave the children despondent or weary.

Yet on the 4th floor of the pink building, home to the Oncology, Haematology, and Bone Marrow Transplant Department of the hospital, laughter and joy fill the Space for Children 2.

Away from treatment sessions, the children follow a scientifically scheduled weekly routine. They participate in unique lessons taught by university students, interact with international trainees at the hospital and enjoy music and cultural exchange activities.

Nguyễn Triều L., a 13-year-old from Hương Trà Town, spent the past few months in the hospital. Days that once involved playing tag with fellow patients now also include time in the newly created play area, the Space for Children 2.

She excitedly said: “My heart races with joy when I see this fun space.”

Kazuyo Watanabe, president of the Asian Children’s Care Federation and a sponsor of Space for Children 2, noted that Huế Central Hospital treated many disadvantaged child patients. During treatment, these children would greatly benefit from a comfortable space for play and relaxation.

“Space for Children 2 aims to ensure their physical and mental well-being, helping them overcome their illness."

Since its establishment, the play and learning area, has attracted many individuals and organisations offering support and encouragement. This space allows volunteers and benefactors to better understand the children's needs and provide the most suitable assistance.

Dr Phạm Như Hiển, chairman of the Young Physicians Association of Thừa Thiên-Huế Province, said that following the success of the first Space for Children at the Oncology Centre, a second was created.

This area serves as both a second home and a microcosmic society where children interact and learn from volunteers and organisations.

Pleased with the outcomes achieved in treatment in Huế, Kazuyo Watanabe expressed her commitment to continued support and collaboration with the hospital to implement advanced techniques for paediatric cancer treatment.

The rate of treatment being abandoned at Huế Central Hospital has significantly decreased in recent years, reflecting the growing trust families have in the nation’s healthcare system.

Many children have fully recovered post-treatment, reintegrating into life and society. These success stories inspire other 'little warriors' to continue their fight and reach their ultimate goal of conquering cancer. VNS