'I was very healthy before, I never had to go to the hospital, doctor'

GĐXH - “I am 68 years old, I used to be very healthy, I never had to go to the hospital, doctor!”. That was the answer of a rectal cancer patient at a health consultation seminar.

Dr. Tran Xuan Vinh - Deputy Director of the Oncology Center and Head of the Chemotherapy Department of Phu Tho General Hospital said that the excitement and optimism in the patients' answers were in complete contrast to the doctors' worries. They almost never had to go to the hospital in their entire lives, but when the disease was detected, many cases were in the late stages, even metastasizing, making treatment extremely difficult.

BSCKII. Tran Xuan Vinh - Deputy Director of the Oncology Center and Head of the Chemotherapy Department consults patients.

From Subjective to Hospitalization for Cancer

The patient came to the hospital when his health condition became alarming. It is known that more than two months ago, the patient started to have signs of digestive disorders: sometimes constipation, sometimes diarrhea. Thinking that it was just a common disorder, the patient went to a pharmacy near his house to buy medicine.

But for nearly a month now, the symptoms have gotten worse: it is very difficult to defecate, sometimes there is blood. At this time, the patient decided to go to the doctor and was diagnosed with rectal cancer .

Fortunately, the disease is still localized and has not metastasized far, so the patient still has a chance for effective treatment. However, if the patient had gone for a check-up earlier, the disease could have been detected at a very early stage, making treatment easier, less invasive, and with a higher survival rate.

Colorectal Cancer – The Silent Killer

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. What is worrying is that the disease progresses silently, with almost no obvious symptoms in the early stages. By the time symptoms such as prolonged digestive disorders, bloody stools, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss appear, many cases are already in the late stages, even having metastasized to the liver, lungs, and bones.

Illustration

Is colorectal cancer curable?

Colorectal cancer can be cured if detected early. Treatment depends on the stage at which the disease is detected.

Stage I-II : If the tumor is still localized in the colon/rectum, surgery can help completely remove cancer cells. The 5-year survival rate is up to 90%.

Stage III : When cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, a combination of surgery and chemotherapy is needed. The 5-year survival rate drops to 50-70%.

Stage IV (distant metastasis): Treatment is mainly aimed at prolonging life and relieving symptoms. The 5-year survival rate is less than 15%.

Thus, the earlier it is detected, the higher the chance of successful treatment.

Mistakes that cause many Vietnamese people to often detect cancer at a late stage

One of the reasons why many patients discover cancer too late is due to subjective psychology. Many people think:

- Only go for a health check when there are obvious symptoms.

- If you feel healthy, you are not sick.

- Afraid to go to the doctor for fear of finding out the disease.

- No habit of regular screening.

These misconceptions make many patients subjective about their health and miss the golden opportunity to detect and treat the disease at an early stage.

Doctors say that health is the most valuable asset, but many people only realize that when it's too late. Don't let the saying "I'm so healthy, I've never had to go to the hospital!" become a regret later.

Take the initiative to protect your health and that of your loved ones today by getting regular health check-ups and cancer screenings as recommended by your doctor. Don’t let luck decide your fate!

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/bat-ngo-tam-su-cua-benh-nhan-ung-thu-truc-trang-truoc-day-toi-khoe-lam-chua-phai-den-benh-vien-bao-gio-bac-si-a-172250321134352386.htm