Cervical cancer screening at Vinh Transport Hospital

(Baonghean) - Cervical cancer is considered a "silent killer", hidden in common gynecological inflammation symptoms without obvious signs to recognize.

However, it will be cured if examined and detected early for simple treatment from the lower level. The early cervical cancer screening program at Vinh Traffic Hospital has proven that every woman needs to make smart choices for her own health.

Vinh Transport Hospital is a specialized hospital providing health care for workers in the Transport sector; female workers often have to travel along roads and construction sites, work under the hot sun, but have poor hygiene, and annual periodic health check-ups show a high rate of gynecological infections, which, if not treated promptly, can have unpredictable consequences.

Examine and advise patients on cervical cancer screening program.

Since 1994, Dr. Ngo Binh, in charge of the hospital's Obstetrics Department, was a doctor specializing in microbiology testing and was directly instructed by Professor Ngo Thu Thoa and Dr. Nguyen Dai Binh at the Central Cancer Hospital to apply PAP testing on a large scale to screen and prevent cervical cancer (abbreviated UTCTC) at Vinh Transport Hospital.

Screening includes a gynecological examination and a Pap smear. If there are signs of suspected cancer, the patient will undergo a cervical biopsy for accurate diagnosis and referral to a higher level of treatment. Patients without signs of cancer will be treated at the Traffic Hospital by electrocautery, loop excision of the cervix (LEEP) or surgery if there are associated lesions.

In 2007, the hospital invested in a digital colposcope and put it into use to help patients see the problem more clearly so that they can work with doctors to treat their disease. Up to now, cervical screening for female workers in the industry and female patients in Nghe An province coming to the hospital is increasingly carried out.

On average, each year, the Obstetrics Department of Vinh Transport Hospital receives and conducts cervical cancer screening for nearly 3,000 patients. Of these, 600 cases are detected and treated on-site, and about 20 cases that have progressed to cancer stage are transferred to higher levels. For example, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung (born in 1963) is a porter at Nghe Tinh Port - an agency in the comprehensive health care system at the Transport Hospital.

During the general health check-ups according to the agency's program, due to the nature of her job, she had to travel here and there and lacked knowledge about health care, so she did not go for regular check-ups. When she had obvious symptoms of the disease, she went to another hospital for examination and was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy. Not satisfied with this diagnosis, she went to Vinh Traffic Hospital. After screening by PAP test, the obstetrician removed the sloughed cells from the damaged area, stained them, and examined them under a microscope.

The change in cell shape, membrane nucleus and cytoplasm detected inflammatory cells at risk of developing into tumors, so they introduced and advised her to go to the Central Cancer Hospital immediately for more tests to have timely treatment. The Cancer Hospital concluded that she had cervical cancer and had to follow a rather long treatment schedule. Ms. Nhung took more than 6 months off work to undergo high-dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy at the Central Cancer Hospital in a very poor health condition, then she had to have a hysterectomy. With a long treatment period at the Vinh Traffic and Transport Hospital, Ms. Nhung was able to stabilize her health...

Referring to her illness, Ms. Nhung shared: “I want to send a warning to women: you should have regular health check-ups and comply with cervical screening for early detection and timely treatment at a local hospital. It is simple, inexpensive, ensures health and especially ensures family happiness…”.

Blood Testing Department, Vinh Transport Hospital

Ms. Nhung and Ms. Ly are among the 20 patients who are diagnosed with cancer and transferred to higher levels every year due to late detection. Meanwhile, patients Le Thi Tam in Cua Nam, Nguyen Thi Huong, Le Thi Que, Tran Thi Xuan, all in Ben Thuy... are among the 200 patients treated with cervical Leep at the Obstetrics Department. They are truly lucky because of screening, biopsy for pathological examination and early detection, and timely treatment. Leep treatment is handled at the Obstetrics Department by cutting the cervix or removing the uterus completely if the patient is found to have associated lesions, treatment takes only 1-2 days. Or 300 patients are treated more simply by burning the cervical glands in just minutes...

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Vinh Transport Hospital has done a very good job of screening for early detection of cancer, as shown by the increasing numbers each year: 2,726 cases in 2013, 2,926 cases in 2014 and 3,163 cases in 2015. According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Minh - Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, early detection and treatment are simple, inexpensive and ensure health. Therefore, women need to have knowledge so as not to regret when it is too late.

Dam Phuong