The conference, "New Trends in Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment: Highlights from GBCC 2026," was organized by Hong Ngoc - Phuc Truong Minh General Hospital with the Global Breast Cancer Conference (GBCC) Organizing Committee and the Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS).

It followed GBCC 2026, which featured 460 research abstracts from 35 countries, more than 400 selected papers across 72 sessions and 234 lectures.

The Hanoi event brought together specialists from Vietnam and South Korea to discuss how developments presented at GBCC could be applied to breast cancer care in Vietnam.

Participants included Associate Professor Do Anh Tu, deputy director of K Hospital and chief of the Office of the Vietnam Cancer Society; Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Xuyen, president of the Bright Tomorrow Cancer Patient Support Fund; Professor Jeong Eon Lee, president of GBCC, chairman of KBCS and director of the Breast Cancer Center at Samsung Medical Center; and specialists from Hong Ngoc General Hospital and other medical institutions in both countries.

Vietnamese and Korean specialists discuss updates from GBCC 2026 at the conference. Photo courtesy of Hong Ngoc General Hospital

In his opening remarks, Tu highlighted the growing role of personalized and multidisciplinary approaches.

"Breast cancer today is being approached in a personalized manner, applying precision medicine and multimodal approaches," he said.

"Advances in diagnostic imaging, pathology, molecular biology, surgery, endocrine therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy have fundamentally changed treatment strategies, offering patients longer survival and a better quality of life."

He said the conference allowed Vietnamese doctors to update their knowledge and consider how new approaches could be incorporated into clinical practice.

Associate Professor Do Anh Tu delivers the opening remarks at the conference. Photo courtesy of Hong Ngoc General Hospital

Eleven Vietnamese and Korean speakers presented 14 papers across four scientific sessions, covering axillary lymph node intervention, breast-conserving surgery, immediate reconstruction, individualized endocrine therapy, immunotherapy and AI-assisted breast MRI.

The discussions reflected a shift toward more precise, less invasive and personalized treatment.

In surgery, Associate Professor Nguyen Dinh Tung discussed advances in Vietnam, including immediate breast reconstruction, intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) and autologous fat grafting combined with stromal vascular fraction (SVF).

The approaches aim to combine disease management with physical recovery and quality of life.

"Previously, breast reconstruction surgery mainly aimed to restore body shape, helping women feel more confident when wearing clothes and in social interactions," Tung said.

"Today, breast reconstruction focuses on all three criteria: shape, softness, and sensation. Therefore, the reconstruction plan needs to be individualized according to the characteristics and needs of each patient, instead of applying a single technique to all."

Professor Jeong Eon Lee discussed changes in surgical management of the axillary lymph nodes in patients with positive nodes.

Rather than routinely performing extensive axillary lymph node dissection, current approaches seek to identify patients who may benefit from less extensive surgery, potentially reducing complications such as arm swelling and restricted shoulder movement.

Associate Professor Nguyen Dinh Tung (L) and Professor Jeong Eon Lee (R) co-chair the first scientific session. Photo courtesy of Hong Ngoc General Hospital

The emphasis on reducing unnecessary intervention also extended to systemic therapies.

For early-stage luminal breast cancer, Associate Professor Joo Heung Kim of Yongin Severance Hospital discussed individualized endocrine therapy. Associate Professor Sang Yull Kang presented updates on adjuvant treatment and strategies for endocrine resistance in high-risk patients, while Associate Professor Soong June Bae discussed immunotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.

Specialists also examined artificial intelligence in diagnostic imaging.

Professor Eun Sook Ko of Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine and Samsung Medical Center discussed AI applications in breast MRI, including shortening scan times, improving image quality, assisting lesion detection and classification, and predicting responses to preoperative treatment.

Used alongside clinical assessment and other diagnostic methods, these applications could provide physicians with additional information when developing treatment plans.

The conference also addressed how research and clinical developments presented at international forums could be evaluated for use in Vietnam.

Through 14 presentations and discussions, Vietnamese and Korean specialists exchanged clinical experience and considered the applicability of different approaches to local practice.

Hong Ngoc-Phuc Truong Minh General Hospital said its collaboration with GBCC and KBCS aims to strengthen professional exchange between specialists in the two countries and connect international developments with clinical practice in Vietnam.

The discussions emphasized tailoring treatment to individual patients while balancing disease control, physical recovery and quality of life.

Hong Ngoc - Phuc Truong Minh General Hospital