Vinh City General Hospital applies the "gold standard" in cancer diagnosis.

Proactive cancer screening is necessary.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Vietnam ranks 78th out of 172 countries and territories with a high cancer mortality rate.

In Vietnam, the number of new cancer cases has increased rapidly from 68,000 in 2000 to 126,000 in 2010. In 2018, the number of new cases rose to nearly 165,000 per 96.5 million people, with almost 70% of cases resulting in death, equivalent to 115,000 deaths. This number is projected to increase to approximately 200,000 by 2020. Every year, around 115,000 people die from cancer in Vietnam, meaning approximately 315 deaths per day.

General health check-up at Vinh City General Hospital. Photo: Dinh Nguyet

According to experts, most cancers are curable when detected early and treated promptly and correctly. Currently, the cure rate for cancer is 33% for men and about 40% for women, while in many developed countries this rate reaches 70-80%.

According to the WHO, about one-third of cancers are preventable. One-third of cancers are curable if detected early, treated promptly, and with the right methods. For the remaining one-third, patients can prolong their lives and improve their quality of life with proactive care and treatment. Cancer, a disease with no early signs and symptoms only becoming apparent in advanced stages, can be effectively managed through regular cancer screenings. If patients proactively undergo these screenings, even minor abnormalities can be detected and treated immediately, preventing them from progressing into cancer.

Implement a system for pathological examination and early cancer screening.

With the development of modern medicine, cancer screening methods help to detect abnormalities, tumors, precancerous lesions early, thereby enabling timely treatment and preventing cancer progression.

Implementing a pathology testing system is the "gold standard" in cancer diagnosis. (Image: Microm HM 325 slide cutter. Photo: My Hanh)

The hospital's pathology system has received significant investment, with modern equipment such as: CryoStat NX50 instantaneous cryo-cutting machine, STP 120 specimen transfer machine, EC 350 specimen embedding machine, Microm HM 325 slide cutting machine, Olymphus CX43 microscope with camera connectivity for online consultations, etc.; making it one of the leading modern pathology testing centers in the region.

In addition, over the past period, the hospital has attracted highly skilled and experienced specialist doctors, and has sent doctors and medical staff from the Laboratory Department to participate in training and professional development at central-level hospitals. As a result, the department has effectively met the needs of service provision and applied advanced techniques, successfully accessing and implementing high-tech laboratory testing methods.

To date, the hospital is effectively implementing cytological testing methods to diagnose and screen for breast, thyroid, and cervical cancers, as well as abnormal lymph nodes, and histopathological testing for cancer diagnosis from biopsy and surgical specimens.

The hospital's pathology testing center is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, among the best in the region. (In the photo: EC 350 specimen embedding machine. Photo: My Hanh)

Thanks to modern cancer screening technology, patients visiting Vinh City General Hospital have been able to have their diseases detected in a timely manner, increasing treatment effectiveness, extending life expectancy, and reducing healthcare costs.

Patient Nguyen Thi Th (Tan Ky, Nghe An) presented with prolonged rectal bleeding. Upon examination at Vinh City General Hospital, she was diagnosed with a tumor in the colon. After a biopsy and pathology report, one day later she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She underwent surgery at Vinh City General Hospital with the assistance of specialists from a central-level hospital. Following the surgery, her health has stabilized and she is recovering well.

The application of modern machinery systems has increased the ability to detect and diagnose diseases and tumors, screen for cancer early, and provide better prognosis and detection for patients. Photo: My Hanh

According to Dr. Pham Anh Ngoi, Head of the Laboratory Department at Vinh City General Hospital, instead of having to send samples to higher-level facilities for testing and waiting 5-7 days for results, patients now only need to wait 1-2 days for results. This allows clinical doctors to provide advice and treatment more quickly. The application of modern equipment has increased the ability to detect and diagnose diseases and tumors, screen for cancer early, and improve prognosis and detection for patients.

Currently, the laboratory's modern technical equipment is routinely applied, supporting all departments, especially focusing on surgery and clinics; contributing to improving the effectiveness of treatment for tumors and diseases requiring pathological diagnosis, thereby providing effective treatment directions for many diseases such as thyroid tumors, goiter, breast tumors, abnormal lymph nodes; or timely referral to other hospitals or referral centers for difficult cases.