There are ways to screen for and detect lung cancer very early.

According to Associate Professor Pham Cam Phuong, Director of the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology at Bach Mai Hospital, low-dose CT scans to detect lung nodules and regular monitoring of these nodules can lead to early detection of lung cancer.

Associate Professor Pham Van Thai, Deputy Director of the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology, asks about the medical history of a person coming for screening on the morning of May 10th - Photo: Provided by the hospital.

On May 10th, at the first examination session of the free early lung cancer screening and consultation program for high-risk individuals at Bach Mai Hospital, Associate Professor Pham Cam Phuong stated that Vietnam records approximately 24,000 new lung cancer cases per year. Only 10-20% of these are detected early, while 80-90% arrive at the hospital in late stages or with metastasis, leading to high treatment costs and a high mortality rate.

"In many countries, 10-20 years ago, there was a similar situation to ours today, but thanks to the application of early disease screening programs, the rate of patients detected early has now reached 50%. In Taiwan (China), a lung cancer screening program was launched 10 years ago, and the management of nodules through regular check-ups depending on the patient's condition has also been very effective," Associate Professor Phuong said.

Low-dose CT scans of the lungs are recommended for lung cancer screening. As a newer and more advanced imaging method compared to traditional X-rays, this technique can detect smaller lesions than X-rays, making it more effective for diagnosing lung cancer at an early stage. This can lead to patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery and having less lung tissue removed.

This imaging technique can detect lung abnormalities the size of a grain of rice, whereas traditional X-rays can identify lung cancer the size of a coin. When abnormalities (lumps) are detected in the lungs, patients are placed in a follow-up group every 6 months to 1 year to monitor progression and risk, allowing for early intervention if the lumps/abnormalities develop into cancer.

This time, Bach Mai Hospital is organizing free screening, examination, consultation, and low-dose CT scans for 240 people aged 50 and over with high risk factors such as smoking, a family history of lung cancer, or suspected lung cancer symptoms... on May 10, 17, and 24 at the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology.

On the first day of screening, doctors noted several cases with hazy nodules in the lungs, which were then placed under monitoring. According to Associate Professor Phuong, the goal of this screening is not only to identify patients, but more importantly, to raise community awareness so that people proactively seek medical attention while they are still healthy, thereby enabling early detection and treatment with better outcomes.

HONG HA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/co-cach-sang-loc-va-phat-hien-ung-thu-phoi-tu-rat-som-20260510174504995.htm