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. 2025 May:11:e2400570.
doi: 10.1200/GO-24-00570. Epub 2025 May 22.

Thirty-Year Trends (1991-2020) in Breast Cancer Incidence Rates: Hanoi, Vietnam

Giang Nguyen Huong  1   2 , Hoa L Nguyen  3 , Robert J Goldberg  3 , Mara M Epstein  3   4 , Jeroan J Allison  3 , Loc Quang Pham  2 , Le Minh Giang  2 , Sang Minh Nguyen  5 , Ngoc Dac Nguyen  1 , Linh Thi Thuy Nguyen  1 , Quang Le Van  1   2 , Thuan Tran Van  6 , Tran Thanh Huong  1   2
Affiliations

Thirty-Year Trends (1991-2020) in Breast Cancer Incidence Rates: Hanoi, Vietnam

Giang Nguyen Huong et al. JCO Glob Oncol. 2025 May.

Abstract

Purpose: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Vietnam, yet there are limited data on long-term trends and factors influencing its incidence. This study examines 30-year trends (1991-2020) in breast cancer incidence among women in Hanoi, focusing on age, period, and cohort effects.

Methods: Data from 28,298 breast cancer cases registered in the Hanoi Cancer Registry between 1991 and 2020 were analyzed. Trend analysis using Joinpoint regression was performed to calculate the average annual percent change (AAPC) in incidence rates, and an age-period-cohort analysis was used to explore underlying trends.

Results: The age-standardized incidence rate of breast cancer rose from 15.2 per 100,000 in 1991 to 40.6 per 100,000 in 2020, with an overall AAPC of 4.1% (95% CI, 2.9 to 5.4). Women age 70 years and older experienced the highest increase (AAPC, 6.4% [95% CI, 2.5 to 10.4]) compared with those age 40-49 years (AAPC, 2.6% [95% CI, 2.1 to 3.1]). Incidence rates during 2016-2020 were 1.6 times higher than in 2001-2005. Women born between 1976 and 1980 exhibited significantly higher incidence rates compared with earlier cohorts.

Conclusion: Breast cancer incidence in Hanoi has more than doubled over three decades, with significant age, period, and cohort effects. These findings provide insights for the development of targeted breast cancer control strategies, including tailored screening, prevention efforts, and resource allocation to address the growing burden of this disease in Vietnam.

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Conflict of interest statement

The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated unless otherwise noted. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or ascopubs.org/go/authors/author-center.

Open Payments is a public database containing information reported by companies about payments made to US-licensed physicians (Open Payments).

No potential conflicts of interest were reported.

Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
Trends in breast cancer incidence rates in Hanoi, Vietnam, during the period 1991-2020 using JP regression. Final selected model: standard joinpoint model—2 joinpoints. aThe APC is significantly different from zero at the alpha = .05 level. APC, annual percent change.
FIG 2
FIG 2
Trends in breast cancer incidence rates in Hanoi during the period 1991-2020 by age at diagnosis using JP regression. APC, annual percent change; ASR, age-standardized rate; JP, joinpoint.
FIG 3
FIG 3
Age-period-cohort analysis of breast cancer incidence trends in Hanoi, 1991-2020. (A) Annual trend of expected age-specific breast cancer incidence rates over time. (B) Effect of age. (C) Effect of period. (D) Effect of cohort on breast cancer incidence.
FIG A1
FIG A1
Geographic mapping of Hanoi before and after expansion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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