Vinh City General Hospital applies the “gold standard” in cancer diagnosis

Need to proactively screen for cancer

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

In our country, the number of new cancer cases increased rapidly from 68,000 in 2000 to 126,000 in 2010. In 2018, the number of new cases increased to nearly 165,000 cases/96.5 million people, of which nearly 70% died, equivalent to 115,000 cases. This number is forecast to increase to about 200,000 cases by 2020. Every year, our country has about 115,000 people die from cancer, that is, about 315 deaths per day.

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

According to experts, most cancers can be cured if detected early and treated promptly and properly. Currently, the cure rate for cancer in men is 33% and in women is about 40%, while in many developed countries this rate is up to 70-80%.

According to WHO, about 1/3 of cancers can be prevented. 1/3 of cancers can be cured if detected early, treated promptly and properly. The remaining 1/3 of cancers can prolong and improve the quality of life if treated actively. For cancer - the disease has no signs in the early stages, but the symptoms are only obvious in the advanced stages. If you proactively screen for cancer regularly, any small abnormalities will be detected and treated immediately, preventing progression to cancer.

Deploying pathological testing system, early cancer screening

With the development of modern medicine, cancer screening methods help detect early abnormalities, tumors, precancerous lesions... thereby promptly treating and preventing cancer progression.

Deploying a pathology testing system, the “gold standard” in cancer diagnosis. In the photo: Microm HM 325 slide cutter. Photo: My Hanh

The hospital's pathology system is invested in with modern equipment such as: CryoStat NX50 instant cryo-cutting machine, STP 120 specimen transfer machine, EC 350 specimen embedding machine, Microm HM 325 specimen cutting machine, Olymphus CX43 microscope connected to camera for online consultation, etc.; it is one of the leading modern pathology testing centers in the region.

Along with that, in recent times, the hospital has attracted highly skilled and experienced specialists, and sent doctors and nurses from the Laboratory Department to study and improve their expertise at central hospitals. Thanks to that, the department has effectively met the needs of service and application of advanced techniques, approaching and successfully applying high-tech testing methods.

Up to now, the hospital has effectively deployed cytological testing methods to diagnose and screen for breast, thyroid, cervical, and other types of abnormal lymph nodes, and histopathological testing to diagnose cancer for biopsy and surgical specimens.

The hospital's pathology testing center is equipped with the most modern machinery in the region. In the photo: EC 350 specimen embedding machine. Photo: My Hanh

Thanks to modern technology in cancer screening, patients visiting Vinh General Hospital have had their diseases detected early, increasing treatment effectiveness, increasing life expectancy and reducing medical costs.

Patient Nguyen Thi Th (Tan Ky, Nghe An) with prolonged bloody stools. Visiting Vinh General Hospital, she was diagnosed with a tumor in the colon. After a biopsy and pathology, 1 day later the patient was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The patient underwent surgery at Vinh General Hospital with the support of experts from a central hospital. After surgery, the patient's health was stable and she recovered well.

The application of modern machinery systems has increased the ability to detect, 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 - Vinh City General Hospital, instead of having to send samples to higher levels for testing, patients have to wait 5-7 days to know the results, now patients only need to wait 1-2 days to have the results so that the clinician can advise and have a treatment direction sooner. With the application of modern machinery systems, the ability to detect, diagnose diseases and tumors, early cancer screening has been increased; better prognosis and detection for patients.

Currently, the modern technical machinery system of the testing department is routinely applied, supporting all departments, especially focusing on the surgery department, clinics...; contributing to improving the effectiveness of tumor treatment and diseases requiring pathological diagnosis, thereby providing effective treatment for many diseases such as: thyroid tumors, goiter, breast tumors,... abnormal lymph nodes; or timely referral to other hospitals or transfer for difficult cases./.