Taiwan–Vietnam Medical Forum_Highlighting Three Major Themes in Cancer Care Innovation
– Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital –
The World Health Organization (WHO)predicts that by 2050, new global cancer cases will surge by 77% compared to 2022, reaching astaggering 35 million cases. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare, cancer has remained the leading cause of death in Taiwan for 52 consecutive years, posing the greatest challenge to public health. Confronting this worldwide crisis, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital (KMUH) has stepped onto the international stage. On July 12, KMUH joined Taipei Veterans General Hospital, the Show Chwan Health Care System, and Vietnam’s largest medical center—Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City—to co-host the Taiwan–Vietnam International Forumin Vietnam.
The forumgathered more than 40 distinguishedmedical experts from both countries for in-depth exchanges on cancer care, one of the most pressing global health concerns. Among the highlights was the KMUH “golden team” led by President Dr. Jaw-Yuan Wang, whose insightful presentations on the hospital’s cutting-edge approaches to cancer treatment, the presentations drew wide attentionand enthusiastic responses from the audience.
Pioneering Precision Medicine with NGS
One of the highlights of the forum was the keynote speech delivered by KMUH Superintendent Jaw-Yuan Wang on the application of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), whichresonated strongly with the international medical community’s high expectations for precision medicine. As an advanced evolutionof NGS enables rapid and accurate detectionof genetic mutations in cancer cells. This technology empowers clinicians to tailor personalized treatment plans—choosing the most effective therapies for each patient rather than treating the disease in a one-size-fits-all approach. NGS not only enhances treatment outcomes and survival rates but also minimizes side effects and avoids unnecessary use of resources, offering new hope for patients with mutation-driven cancers.
Dr. Wang further emphasizedthat precision medicine is the future of cancer care. As a university-affiliated medical center, KMUH is committed not only to keeping pace with international standards but also to leading innovation by integrating clinical practice with advanced research and smart technologies. These efforts embody Taiwan’s vision of a “Healthy Taiwan” as articulated by President Lai Ching-te.
Integrating Care Beyond Treatment
The forum, themed “2025International Cancer Care Conference: Tradition and Modernity,” also featured a presentation by Dr. Hsiang-Lin Tsai, Deputy Director of Surgery at KMUH, on “Nutritional support for terminal cancer patients”. KMUH has long been dedicated to advancing integrated home-based nutrition care and has established the nation’s first—and theAsia-Pacific region’s pioneering--Home Parenteral Nutrition Training Center. This initiative promotes its care philosophy of “Safe Discharge,Reassured Home Care” to more countries.Underscoring that cancer care must extend beyond medical treatment to encompass long-term quality of life.
Forum Highlights: Three Core Themes
The forum covered three major themes:Advances in Non-Invasive Cancer Treatments, Modern Cancer Surgery, and Smart Healthcare and EmergingTrends. KMUH’s elite team contributed significantly:
· Dr. Chia-Yen Tai, Vice Superintendent of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, reviewed the “Current status of liver cancer treatment in Taiwan”.
· Dr. Ching-Wen Huang, Director of the Robotic Surgery Center, discussing“Precision surgical approaches for colorectal cancer”.
· Dr. Tsung-Hsien Lin, Vice Superintendent of the Division of Cardiology, highlighting“The role of smart healthcare in integrated patient care”.
Vietnamese experts at the forum expressed strong interest in visiting KMUH for further exchanges and collaboration.
Strengthening Taiwan–Vietnam Medical Cooperation
For years, KMUH has been dedicated to advancing cancer care andsmart healthcare, while actively promoting international medical collaborationunder Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy. The Taiwan-Vietnam MedicalForum marks not only a milestone in academic exchange but also a concrete demonstration of Taiwan’s strategy of “medicine diplomacy fostering industrial collaboration”.
Since 2022, KMUH has actively expanded its presence in Vietnam, building stable partnerships with local hospitals through clinical training, academic exchanges, and international patient referral programs, KMUH has been driving the export of high-quality medical services. During this trip, Dr. Wang led the KMUH delegation to Vietnam, where KMUH signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cho Ray Hospital, Vietnam’s largest medical center in Ho Chi Minh City. The agreement covering four key areas:
1. Medical personnel exchange
2. Academic resource sharing
3. Enhancement of patient care quality
4. Joint research development
This collaboration strengthens cross-border medical and industrial integration while reinforcing KMUH’s role as a pioneer in global healthcare. Looking ahead, KMUH will continue to uphold its patient-centered andtechnology-driven philosophy, deepening medical partnerships with international allies to build a sustainable and inclusive healthcare ecosystemacross the Asia-Pacific region.
KMUH’s “golden team” (from left: Dr. Ching-Wen Huang, Dr. Hsiang-Lin Tsai, Dr. Tsung-Hsien Lin, SuperintendentJaw-Yuan Wang, and Dr. Chia-Yen Tai) participated in the Taiwan–Vietnam Medical Forum on July 12 in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Taiwan–Vietnam Forum brought together over 40 medical leaders to discuss advances in cancer care.
SuperintendentWang’s keynote on AI into healthcare, with a focus on the application of NGS, the presentation delivered insightful perspectives that resonated strongly with the international experts’ high expectations for precision medicine.
The Taiwan–Vietnam Forum was grandly held on July 12 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, gathering more than 40 leading medical experts from both Taiwan and Vietnam for in-depth discussions on cancer care—one of the most critical global health challenges.
KMUH and Cho Ray Hospital signed a MOU to advance collaboration in medical exchange, academic sharing, patient care, and joint research(left: SuperintendentJaw-Yuan Wang, right:Vice SuperintendentPham Thanh Viet).