Answer:

Doctors recommend a gastroscopy for cancer screening or when a patient experiences suspicious symptoms such as unusual bleeding (vomiting blood, black stools), heartburn, indigestion, loss of appetite, persistent bloating, difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, or a family history of gastrointestinal cancer. Through a gastroscopy, doctors can clearly observe lesions, including precancerous and cancerous ones. If suspicious signs are present, doctors perform a biopsy during the gastroscopy for an accurate diagnosis.

Currently, advanced gastroscopy systems like the Olympus EVIS X1 CV-1500 and Fujifilm 7000 incorporate modern technologies such as optical magnification and dye spraying, which can detect very small flat lesions and clearly identify the structure, boundaries, and invasiveness of the lesion. During the procedure, doctors can remove polyps, preventing the risk of them becoming malignant.

To diagnose the stage of stomach cancer, in addition to a gastroscopy, doctors may recommend imaging methods such as a barium swallow X-ray, CT scan, PET-CT scan, MRI, or endoscopic ultrasound. In special cases, doctors may recommend a laparoscopy (diagnostic or staging laparoscopy) to assess the extent of spread within the abdomen, especially if peritoneal metastasis is suspected.

Doctor Lai performs a gastroscopy on a patient at Tam Anh General Clinic, District 7. Photo illustration: Provided by the clinic.

Early cancer detection increases the chances of survival. In the early stages, when cancer cells have just formed in the lining and haven't invaded surrounding tissues or spread to lymph nodes or distant organs, treatment is simpler, the cure rate is higher, and costs are lower. Late-stage cancer requires multi-modal treatment, combining surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and palliative care, with a lower cure rate.

Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Lai

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Unit

Tam Anh General Clinic, District 7