Well known Japanese GI Cancer treatment expert Dr Noriya Uedo tells medical fraternity at Fortis Hospital Mohali
NewZNew (S A S Nagar) : Dr Noriya Uedo, well known gastrointestinal (GI) cancer treatment expert from Japan, which is a world leader in high-quality diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, has emphasized the need for early detection of GI cancer through advanced endoscopic techniques to save the organ.
Addressing the medical fraternity at Fortis Hospital Mohali in a scientific session on ‘Early Detection of GI Cancers’, Dr Uedo said “Some early gastric cancers progress to advanced stages despite years of follow-up. A proper endoscopic screening procedure would enhance detection, thereby improving chances of survival and improving quality of life.”
He added that due to late detection of upper gastrointestinal cancers, the prognosis is often poor and sometimes a missed cancer diagnosis during endoscopy could contribute to delayed treatment.
Dr Mohinish Chhabra, Senior Consultant – Gastroenterology, Fortis Hospital Mohali, while introducing Dr Uedo said the visiting doctor is the Vice-director of the Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Osaka Medical Centre for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, and is a name to reckon with in the field of GI Cancer treatment.
Dr Uedo added, “Adequate training of endoscopists to recognize early cancerous lesions is crucial for the management of gastrointestinal cancer. Accurate diagnosis during endoscopy has become particularly important, as the management of upper gastrointestinal cancers has changed over the years. Certain cancers, if detected early, can now be treated with advancement treatment without removing the organ. However, these early lesions are often subtle and easily missed during endoscopic examination. Therefore, advanced imaging techniques with chromoendoscopy or electronic enhancement (such as narrow-band imaging) can help to delineate or detect subtle abnormalities.”
Dr Uedo said, “In our opinion, high-quality white light endoscopy (standard endoscopy without electronic image enhancement) should be gold standard as a starting point for the detection of early cancer in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Japan is a world leader in high-quality diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Lessons learnt from Japanese gastroscopy technique, training and screening for risk stratification would not only help in early detection and but also in treatment of GI cancers.”
He said a fundamental change in clinicians’ attitudes towards endoscopy is required, so that high-quality upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is considered an advanced endoscopic skill, as it is in Japan.