For early detection of colon tumors, the Program of Medical Guarantees of the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) covers a free endoscopic examination – colonoscopy. For patients aged 40 and over, a mandatory condition for the free examination is an e-referral issued by a family doctor or a specialist.
The procedure is completely painless and is performed under “light” anesthesia (the patient is in a short medication-induced sleep). Here is what Dmytro Panchenko, head of department and surgical oncologist at the Sumy Regional Clinical Oncology Center, says.
“Colonoscopy is recognized as the most effective method of colorectal cancer screening. It allows not only diagnosis with biopsy but also the elimination of precancerous conditions (removal of adenomatous polyps).
It is known that removing adenomatous polyps, followed by monitoring, significantly reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC),” emphasizes Dmytro Panchenko, surgical oncologist at the Sumy Regional Clinical Oncology Center.
Treatment:
The main treatment for CRC is surgical removal of the section of bowel with the tumor and the regional lymph nodes. Based on the results of the histological examination of the surgical specimen, a decision is made on whether adjuvant (preventive) chemotherapy is needed. Rectal tumors are treated with neoadjuvant (preoperative) chemoradiotherapy.
Treatment results – survival and quality of life after treatment – depend directly on the stage of the disease. That is why it is extremely important to detect the disease and start specialized treatment at an early stage.