>> Progress made in promoting gender equality in Vietnam
>> After 80 days in a vegetative state, a patient miraculously recovers
This information was provided by Master Dr. Luong Ngoc Trung, Head of the Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery at FV Hospital, during the seminar titled “Screening and Treatment of Early Stage Lung Cancer”, recently organized by the FV Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City.
More than 300 doctors, nurses and medical experts, from home and abroad, shared the most recent advances in lung cancer screening and treatment, paving the way for more effective treatments for many patients.
| The seminar “Screening and treatment of early stage lung cancer” recently organized by FV Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City. |
According to the Dr. Luong Ngoc Trung, lung cancer patients are often diagnosed at a late stage. Once stage 3A is passed, surgical options become almost non-existent. Among diagnosed patients, only 25% can benefit from curative surgery, a heavy burden for clinicians.
The Dr. Su Jang Wen, a specialist in thoracic surgery and lung cancer at O2 Healthcare Group (Singapore), added that in the past, small lung nodules, early signs of potential cancer, were rare. However, recent research shows that these nodules may indicate early-stage cancer, requiring prompt surgery as soon as they are detected.
The Dr. Luong Ngoc Trung pointed out that FV Hospital uses advanced technologies to screen and early detect lung cancer, including low-dose CT, MRI and flexible endoscopy for cell collection, as well as transthoracic biopsy and ultrasound-guided bronchoscopy (EBUS).
Endoscopic navigation technique, combined with EBUS, is also applied to improve results. In addition, a new method of marking lesions using colored indicators (ICG) is used to detect abnormalities in the lungs and digestive system.
| The Dr. Su Jang Wen. |
“Globally, EBUS is considered a gold standard technique for lung cancer biopsy and diagnosis. In Vietnam, few hospitals have invested in this device, due to its high cost and the necessary training for medical staff.specified the Dr. Nguyen Van Tho, head of the Department of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases at Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, while emphasizing the importance of EBUS in assessing the stage of lung cancer.
In terms of treatment, Dr. Basma M’Barek, Head of the Hy Vong Cancer Treatment Center at FV Hospital, explained that stereotactic body-lung radiotherapy (SBRT) represents a significant therapeutic advancement for lung cancer. Unlike conventional radiotherapy, SBRT directly targets the tumor with a reduced radiation area, minimizing damage to healthy lung tissue and reducing treatment duration to 3 or 4 sessions instead of 6 or 7.
Text and photos: Minh Thu/CVN
