Many techniques can completely cure gastrointestinal cancer if detected early.

Director of the Digestive Center of Bach Mai Hospital Nguyen Cong Long said that many new techniques are available that can completely cure digestive diseases, including cancer, if detected early.

Many diseases can be detected early through gastrointestinal endoscopy - Photo: BVCC

At the 10th Gastroenterology Conference held on November 15 and 16 in Hanoi, Mr. Long said that the past decade has witnessed a "revolution" in gastrointestinal endoscopy to detect and treat many diseases early, including:

- Endomucosal Dissection (ESD): Previously, even if a tumor was small, the patient still needed surgery. Now with ESD, doctors can completely remove cancer from a very early stage using only endoscopy, without open surgery. Patients treated with this method can be considered completely cured.

- Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS): This is a technique of inserting an ultrasound probe into the body through an endoscope, providing outstandingly detailed images. EUS helps to accurately determine the depth of invasion of the tumor, determine whether the tumor is benign or malignant, and then decide whether to treat it by submucosal dissection or surgery.

Not only diagnosis, endoscopic ultrasound also supports treatment intervention, biopsy of pancreatic tumors in difficult locations; Burning tumors with high frequency waves; Performing complex techniques such as endoscopic biliary-enteric anastomosis, helping patients avoid major surgery.

"Currently, many hospitals are using endoscopic ultrasound equipment. Bach Mai has also developed this technique into a routine practice. However, if the technique can be deployed at the provincial level, more patients will be diagnosed and treated earlier. Previously, conventional ultrasound detected tumors, but endoscopic ultrasound will assess which muscle layer the tumor is in, its location, and how much it affects," said Mr. Long.

According to Mr. Long, when there are symptoms such as abdominal pain, significant weight loss... the disease is often in a late stage. Therefore, people need to proactively screen early. In particular, gastrointestinal diseases can be screened and detected early such as:

- Colorectal cancer : Everyone, even healthy people, should have their first colonoscopy at age 40. This is the most effective way to detect cancer or precancerous polyps early, and remove them before they become malignant.

- Pancreatic cancer , although this is a type of cancer that is very difficult to detect early. High-risk groups that need regular screening for this type of cancer include people newly diagnosed with diabetes; People with chronic pancreatitis; People with pancreatic cysts (especially the papillary mucinous type).

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhieu-ky-thuat-co-the-chua-khoi-hoan-toan-ung-thu-duong-tieu-hoa-neu-phat-hien-som-20251116100506236.htm