In the early stages of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, there are generally no specific symptoms. As the condition progresses, symptoms such as gastritis, gastric ulcers, and loss of appetite may appear. Most patients discover that they have gastric cancer or colorectal cancer in the middle or late stages of the cancer, and the prognosis after treatment is poor, with a low survival rate. If timely and effective intervention is carried out in the early detection of cancer, active and standardized treatment can greatly improve prognosis and increase survival time. Therefore, early diagnosis and screening of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer are particularly important. So what should be done for early diagnosis and screening of gastric and colorectal cancer?
Early diagnosis and screening of gastric cancer
Gastroscopy is the first choice for early detection of gastric cancer.
Testing process: Before the test, no food or water should be consumed for 8 hours to avoid symptoms of nausea and vomiting during the examination, and to prevent food from affecting the doctor's diagnosis in the stomach; Wear loose clothing as much as possible for easy detection.
2. At this time, the main procedure is to insert the endoscope through the oral cavity. The examinee should relax their entire body and slowly swallow to allow the endoscope to smoothly pass through the throat and enter the esophagus. There may be a few seconds of pain and vomiting when passing through the throat, so there is no need to worry too much. This is a relatively uncomfortable time during gastroscopy examination and is a normal physiological phenomenon; Under endoscopic guidance, slowly enter the endoscope from the upper end of the esophagus and observe the stomach organs in sequence.
During the examination, inhale through the nose and slowly exhale through the mouth, without swallowing.
4. Do not eat for 1-2 hours after the examination. If there is no pain or discomfort in the throat, drink water first. If there is no choking, eat soft food first and then gradually transition.
There are also detection methods such as Helicobacter pylori, pepsinogen, endoscopic ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging, but gastroscopy has the highest sensitivity for early diagnosis.
Early diagnosis and screening of colorectal cancer
Colonoscopy examination, which is similar to gastroscopy examination, requires only eating a semi mobile diet for three days before the examination to ensure no residue. On the morning of the test day, fasting is required, and medical staff will help prepare the intestines. After defecation until clear water is discharged, the examination can be carried out. The doctor inserts a thin tube with a lens into the intestine through the anus, and observes the intestinal area through a monitor. If necessary, the doctor can take samples of the intestine for biopsy.
There are also fecal occult blood tests (recommended for people over 50 years old to undergo once a year), colonoscopy for stones (if the fecal occult blood test result is positive, this examination and pathological biopsy need to be conducted once every 3-5 years), tumor markers (which are tested by blood sampling and have certain reference value), and abdominal CT examination.
In addition, if there is rectal bleeding, changes in bowel habits, or intestinal obstruction in daily life, one must be vigilant and promptly go to the hospital for colon cancer screening.
Conclusion
Because the early symptoms of gastric cancer and bowel cancer are not obvious, and in recent years, the incidence rate of gastric cancer and bowel cancer has an upward trend, we should not relax our vigilance, and try to carry out a routine test once a year, so that early detection and early treatment, and early treatment, better prognosis, can better overcome the disease.
In addition, although the pathogenesis of gastric and colorectal cancer is not yet clear, research has shown that it is related to daily dietary habits, lifestyle habits, etc. Everyone can learn more about relevant knowledge in their daily lives and engage in healthy living to reduce the probability of disease.