EN 
VN 
Esophageal cancer is a serious malignancy, often detected late due to the lack of obvious symptoms in the early stages, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 20%. However, with the advancement of medicine, especially gastrointestinal endoscopy, the detection and treatment of esophageal cancer at an early stage has become possible, providing the opportunity for complete cure for many patients.
Patient story:
Mr. Nguyen Van A., 54 years old, residing in Hanoi, had no abnormal digestive symptoms. During a routine health check-up, he was prescribed a digestive endoscopy. The results detected a small lesion, about 1 cm in size, in the esophageal mucosa. A biopsy confirmed that this was early-stage esophageal cancer.
Image 1: Doctor Nguyen The Phuong - Head of the Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Pathology - Gastrointestinal - Hepatobiliary Center, Member of the Executive Committee and Deputy Head of the Gastrointestinal Pathology Department of the Vietnam Interventional Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Society (VIGES), lecturer of internal medicine at Hanoi Medical University.
Treatment:
Mr. A. was advised to undergo endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). This is an advanced method that allows complete removal of tumors in the gastrointestinal mucosa without surgery. The procedure is performed gently; the patient experiences little pain and recovers quickly. After the intervention, Mr. A. was discharged from the hospital in a short time, without the need for additional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Image 2: Early esophageal cancer lesions are easily missed with conventional white light endoscopy.
Image 3: Microstructure and microcapillaries of the lesion are observed and accurately assessed on magnified endoscopy.
Benefits of early detection and treatment:
- Gastrointestinal endoscopy with high resolution, magnification and image enhancement function, esophageal cancer lesions can be detected when they first appear in the mucosal layer with a very low risk of metastasis from 0-4%, which is the premise for performing endoscopic treatment methods to achieve radical treatment results.
- High survival rate: According to statistics, the 5-year survival rate of patients with stage I esophageal cancer is 80-90%.
- Reduce complications: ESD is a minimally invasive procedure that minimizes damage to surrounding tissue and the risk of complications, helping patients recover quickly.
- Improve quality of life: Early treatment helps patients avoid complicated treatments, preserve esophageal function and quickly return to normal life.
Image 4: Early esophageal cancer lesion marked around – this is a step of submucosal dissection (ESD) technique
Image 5: Early esophageal cancer lesion was removed en bloc with submucosal dissection (ESD) technique.
Recommendation:
Regular health check-ups, especially gastrointestinal endoscopy, play an important role in early detection of precancerous lesions or early stage cancer. People over 50 years old or with risk factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol, or a family history of esophageal cancer should undergo regular screening to protect their health.
Image 5: Early esophageal cancer lesion was removed en bloc with submucosal dissection (ESD) technique.
Take care of your health and your family's health by getting regular checkups and screening for digestive cancers. Early detection and treatment not only saves your life but also brings a better quality of life.
The Center for Hepatobiliary Gastroenterology, Bach Mai Hospital has invested in the most advanced and modern endoscopic equipment in the world, along with a team of highly trained doctors with extensive experience in diagnostic gastrointestinal endoscopy as well as interventional endoscopic treatment of early gastrointestinal cancer.
