Focus on caring for and improving people's endocrine health

In recent years, the incidence of thyroid diseases has been increasing. In response to this situation, Lao Cai Provincial Endocrinology Hospital has increased screening for thyroid diseases and promoted the application of modern treatment methods, improving the effectiveness of treating this disease.

One of the most common thyroid disorders today is thyroid nodule – a condition where distinct tissue masses appear within the thyroid gland, which can be clearly detected through ultrasound. This is a common endocrine disorder in the community, especially in women and older adults.

According to Dr. Ha Ngoc Le from the Provincial Endocrinology Hospital: In recent years, thanks to the remarkable development of medicine, minimally invasive procedures are being considered the preferred option for treating thyroid nodules with clinical symptoms or aesthetic concerns.

These procedures include injecting ethanol into the thyroid follicle and using thermal techniques to remove the nodule. Minimally invasive procedures have been shown to reduce thyroid nodule volume (57-77% after 5 years), improve local symptoms, and enhance quality of life.

In particular, these procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis without general anesthesia, rarely cause complications, and almost never cause thyroid dysfunction. Among them, radiofrequency ablation has shown great promise in treating benign thyroid nodules, with long-term effectiveness reported within 3 to 5 years.

In Lao Cai province, the Provincial Endocrinology Hospital is the first medical unit to deploy the radiofrequency ablation method in the treatment of benign thyroid tumors from August 2022 thanks to the professional support of Bach Mai Hospital. Currently, the hospital has sent a document requesting Bach Mai Hospital to support the transfer of modern radiofrequency ablation techniques in the treatment of papillary thyroid cancer, in order to improve professional capacity and create conditions for local people to access advanced treatment techniques without having to be transferred to Hanoi.

Alongside adopting and applying modern techniques in treatment, the Provincial Endocrinology Hospital also places special emphasis on screening and public awareness campaigns to improve community understanding of thyroid disease prevention.

Dr. Nguyen Van Hien, Deputy Director of the Provincial Endocrinology Hospital, said: "In recent years, the number of thyroid disease cases has been increasing rapidly. For thyroid-related diseases, supplementing with iodized salt and iodine-fortified products is extremely necessary because this micronutrient helps the thyroid gland function better."

Recently, the Provincial Endocrinology Hospital, in collaboration with the Lao Cai - Cam Duong Regional Health Center, organized thyroid disease screening for students aged 8 to 10 in the area. This is a particularly important group that needs attention in order to detect abnormalities early in school age.

In October 2025, the hospital continued to implement the "Thyroid Disease Screening Program for High-Risk Individuals" with a total of 250 completely free thyroid function tests for the community. The free tests in the program include quantitative FT4 (free thyroid hormone) and TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) – two key indicators for accurately assessing thyroid function.

Thyroid disorders are common endocrine disorders but often go unnoticed due to their insidious progression and few early symptoms. Therefore, regular screening plays a crucial role not only in early detection but also in raising public awareness about endocrine health care, helping to prevent cardiovascular complications, metabolic disorders, and reproductive dysfunction.

With a development orientation focused on modernity, safety, and patient-centered care, the Provincial Endocrinology Hospital is gradually asserting its pioneering position in providing endocrine care and improving the health of people in the area.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/chu-trong-cham-care-and-enhance-hormonal-health-for-people-post885399.html