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[이데일리 이순용 기자] March 5th is Gyeongchip (驚蟄), which means that frogs wake up from their winter sleep. Since ancient times, the frozen water of the Daedong River is said to be released after Rain and Gyeongchip, so it has been considered a time when one can feel spring in full swing. In March, when the spring breeze blows along with Gyeongchip and the warmth of new life sprouts, it is the time to renew the body and mind that had shrunk during the winter and welcome spring in earnest. For this reason, every year in March, when spring begins, the number of people visiting hospitals for health checkups increases.

Mr. A, 40, who set health as his goal this year, also underwent a national health checkup at a nearby hospital in the spring. Ms. A was eligible for cancer screening this year, so she underwent a gastroscopy for the first time in her life. A few days later, she was so shocked to see that the results of a gastroscopy were positive in the test results sheet she received through the mail that she went back to the hospital where she had been tested.

When Mr. A was tested for COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was used to the positive test results that were given to infected people and thought that a positive gastroscopy result had a bad meaning. He had trouble sleeping, wondering if he had cancer. However, after visiting the hospital and consulting, Mr. A was able to reassure himself that he had been mistaken all along.

As with COVID-19, if a pathogen test is conducted to check for infection and the result is higher than a certain level, it is said to be positive for the disease. On the other hand, negative means that there is no reaction or if the level is below a certain level, the test is not infected with the disease.

Blood or urine tests that are basically conducted in the national health checkup are also said to be positive if there is an abnormality, and negative if there is no abnormality. However, the results of stomach and colonoscopy tests are different. When cells in the stomach or colon proliferate abnormally and a lumpy tumor is discovered, a biopsy is performed. If the tissue in question is cancerous, it is expressed as malignant (惡性) using the word 惡, which means bad. On the other hand, if it is not cancerous, it is called benign (良性) using the word yang (良), which means good.

Benign tumors are tumors that do not pose a threat to life, except in a few special cases. However, follow-up observation may be necessary depending on the judgment of the medical staff. On the other hand, malignant tumors are tumors that invade surrounding tissues and endanger life, and can be called cancer.

Positive and negative have different meanings not only in tumors but also in tests to check for the presence of antibodies such as hepatitis B antibodies. If you have antibodies to the virus, you are positive. If you do not have antibodies, you are negative. If you are negative, you do not have antibodies to protect against the disease, so you must get vaccinated.

Daedong Hospital Comprehensive Health Examination Center Manager Kim Yun-mi (family medicine specialist) said, “People often get confused like Mr. A because they usually think that the opposite of negative is positive, but the meaning of negative and positive differs depending on the type and purpose of the test. “He said. She also said, “The national health checkup is a project that contributes to leading a healthy life and improving national health by diagnosing and treating health risk factors and diseases at an early stage, so anyone eligible must participate in the checkup to check their health status and maintain their health.” “I recommend managing it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the health checkups conducted by the government include general health checkups and cancer checkups. General health checkups are conducted once every two years for health insurance workers, heads of local households, household members and dependents aged 20 or older, and medical benefit recipients aged 20 to 64. This year, those born in even-numbered years are eligible, with the exception of non-office workers, who are implemented every year.

Cancer screening is conducted for stomach cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, and cervical cancer, which are the most common in Korea. For stomach cancer, a gastrointestinal contrast test or gastroscopy is performed every two years for those over 40 years of age, and for colon cancer, a fecal occult blood test is performed every year only for those over 50 years of age. Those who test positive select a colonoscopy or colonic double contrast test. . For liver cancer, liver ultrasound and blood tests are performed every 6 months for those at high risk for liver cancer over the age of 40, once in the first and second half of each year, mammography every 2 years for women over 40, and cervical screening every 2 years for women over 20. You can be screened for breast cancer and cervical cancer through cytology, respectively. In addition, health checkups conducted by the government include health checkups for life transitions with medical benefits, student health checkups, and infant health checkups.

2024-03-04 01:34:10

#gastroscopy #result #positive.. #bad

If you have symptoms such as hoarseness, foreign body sensation in the throat, or bloody sputum, a test is required.
Avoid risk factors such as smoking, drinking, and human papilloma virus.

[이데일리 이순용 기자] Head and neck cancer refers to cancer that occurs near the head and neck. Among head and neck cancers, the most common cancers include larynx, oral cavity, and tonsillar cancer. Because cancer occurs in the organs of eating, speaking, and breathing, treatment is known to be difficult. This is because it cannot be overlooked not only in treating cancer but also in preserving function. However, head and neck cancer is also a cancer that can be completely cured if detected and treated early. If hoarseness persists for a long time, you feel a foreign body in your throat, or you produce bloody sputum, it may be an early symptom of head and neck cancer, so you must visit a hospital. We learn about head and neck cancer with Professor Youngchan Lee of the Department of ENT at Gangdong Kyunghee University Hospital.

◇ Head and neck cancer 5-year survival rate is around 60%, if detected early, cure is expected.

The head and neck region refers to the area between the bottom of the brain and the top of the chest. Head and neck cancer refers to all cancers that occur in the head and neck region, including the oral cavity, nasal cavity, larynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, nasopharynx, thyroid gland, and salivary glands, excluding the eyes, brain, ears, and esophagus. Representative cancers include laryngeal cancer, oral cancer, tonsil cancer, pharynx cancer, and salivary gland cancer. The overall 5-year survival rate is around 60% on average, but it is known that the prognosis varies depending on the site of cancer occurrence and stage. Like all cancers, the sooner head and neck cancer is detected, the higher the cure rate. However, since not much is known about the risk factors or symptoms of head and neck cancer, caution is needed as treatment timing is often missed.

◇ If you have symptoms such as hoarseness or a foreign body sensation in your throat, you need a test.

Changes in voice that last for more than 6 weeks, ulcers or swelling in the mouth that does not heal for more than 3 weeks, red and white spots on the oral mucosa, dysphagia (dysphagia) that lasts more than 3 weeks, persistent blockage of one nose or abnormal discharge accompanied by Symptoms of head and neck cancer include teeth that are loose regardless of periodontal disease, a lump in the neck that lasts for more than 3 weeks, symptoms of cranial nerve paralysis, an orbital lump, deafness on one side that lasts for more than 3 weeks, and difficulty breathing. This may be the case, so it is best to visit a hospital and receive treatment without delay.

◇ Main causes ‘smoking’ and ‘human papilloma virus’

The main cause of head and neck cancer is smoking. The mouth, pharynx, and larynx are directly affected by smoking because they are the entrances to the respiratory tract. Smoking is known to have a 2 to 3 times higher risk of developing the disease compared to non-smokers. Drinking alcohol is also a trigger, and if men drink more than three times the recommended daily amount and women drink more than twice the recommended amount per day, the chance of developing head and neck cancer increases.

Additionally, ‘human papilloma virus (HPV)’ has recently been mentioned as a cause of head and neck cancer. It is usually infected through sexual intercourse and causes cervical cancer, anal cancer, and genital warts. If the mucous membrane of the mouth is infected through oral sex, etc., oropharyngeal cancer, among head and neck cancers, can occur. Other risk factors for head and neck cancer include gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal disease, exposure to radiation and ultraviolet rays, vitamin or iron deficiency, and continuous physical stimulation of the head and neck. ◇ Treatment that takes into account not only cancer removal but also reconstruction of eating and speaking functions.

For head and neck cancer, surgery is the first treatment, and the second method is radiation therapy. There are many different surgical methods, but recently, minimally invasive methods that minimize scars or complications by accessing the mouth and performing the surgery are increasing. In cases where surgery is not possible or metastatic head and neck cancer is present, immunotherapy that activates the body’s immune cells is used. Professor Lee Young-chan said, “In the treatment of head and neck cancer, it is very important not only to cure the disease, but also to resolve the patient’s quality of life and cosmetic issues after surgery.” He added, “In other words, the characteristic is that the cancer must be treated while preserving the patient’s function as much as possible.” .” he explained.

◇ Consider endoscopic or robotic surgery as a minimally invasive, function-preserving treatment.

For head and neck cancer, minimally invasive, function-preserving surgery is very important. With the development of endoscopic or robotic surgery, the indications for transoral surgery, which can be operated by accessing the inside of the mouth, have expanded. There are many reported results of effective cancer treatment and improvement of life functions by minimizing skin incisions and maximizing preservation of organs necessary for eating and speaking. Transoral laser surgery or endoscopic surgery is a method of resecting lesions with a laser or endoscopic instrument while observing the surgical site located deep in the throat in a magnified manner using an operating microscope or endoscope inside the mouth. Compared to traditional open surgery or radiation therapy, it has the advantage of a shorter treatment period and lower medical costs.

Among head and neck cancers, robotic surgery is possible for cancers that occur on the tonsils or the root of the tongue. Surgery can be performed with a much better view than with the naked eye, shortening the time and reducing the incision range. Additionally, metastatic head and neck cancer that is inoperable can be treated with immunotherapy drugs that activate the body’s immune cells to attack the cancer.

◇ Risk factors such as smoking, drinking, and oral sex should be avoided.

If you want to prevent head and neck cancer, you must avoid smoking and drinking. It is a good idea to refrain from oral sex and regularly check your oral health through regular checkups. Although it has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in Korea, the papilloma virus vaccine (cervical cancer virus vaccine) is known to help prevent oropharyngeal cancer, so the vaccine is being expanded to men in many countries, including the United States. Therefore, papilloma virus vaccination can also be a good way to prevent head and neck cancer. Above all, early detection is most important, so it is recommended that adults in their 40s to 50s or older who smoke and drink frequently receive regular checkups related to head and neck cancer at an otolaryngology department at least once a year.

◇ Preventive rules

1) Smoking is the main cause of head and neck cancer, so be sure to quit smoking.

2) Avoid excessive drinking.

3) Practice safe sex to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

4) If you enjoy smoking and drinking, check your mouth and throat regularly through regular checkups.

5) Keep your oral condition, including dentures, clean.

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2024-01-27 23:21:49

#Early #detection #treatment #neck #cancer #difficult #treat #key

[이데일리 이순용 기자] Professor Kim Min-beom and resident Hong Jun-pyo of the Department of Otolaryngology at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine Kangbuk Samsung Hospital (Director Shin Hyeon-cheol) proposed a new treatment strategy through the differences in vestibular damage patterns depending on the presence or absence of dizziness in sudden hearing loss.

In most cases, the cause of sudden hearing loss is difficult to determine, but viral infection and vascular disorders within the cochlea are presumed to be the main pathogenic mechanisms. To date, the standard treatment for sudden hearing loss is systemic high-dose steroid administration or intratympanic injection. If the cause is a viral infection, the previous treatment may be effective, but if the cause is a vascular disorder, it is difficult to expect a treatment effect, so hyperbaric oxygen treatment or anticoagulant therapy is considered necessary. However, due to the complex structure of the cochlea, it is often difficult to accurately determine whether the cause of hearing loss is a viral infection or a vascular disorder, making it impossible to provide customized treatment depending on the cause.

Accordingly, the research team of Professor Kim Min-beom of the Department of Otolaryngology at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital confirmed the presence of dizziness and patterns of vestibular damage in 165 patients who visited our hospital with sudden hearing loss from 2017 to 2022 through a hierarchical clustering analysis method. In other words, patients with sudden hearing loss were divided into those with and without dizziness, and the results of the hearing, dizziness, and balance function tests were identified and analyzed for correlation.

As a result, in cases of sudden hearing loss accompanied by dizziness and decreased function of the posterior semicircular canal, the prognosis of existing steroid treatment was poor. Therefore, sudden hearing loss accompanied by dizziness and decreased function of the posterior semicircular canal is highly likely to be caused by vascular disorders, so it is necessary to consider treatments that combine hyperbaric oxygen therapy or anticoagulation therapy from the beginning rather than existing steroid treatments.

Professor Kim Min-beom of the Department of Otolaryngology at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital said, “Sudden hearing loss is a representative otolaryngology emergency, with 40 to 50% of cases resulting in permanent hearing loss even if appropriate treatment is administered in the early stages.” He added, “Above all, it is important to quickly find the cause and implement treatment.” “It is important, and this study allows us to consider new treatments at an early stage,” he said, explaining the significance of the study.

This study was published in ‘Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery’, a top academic journal in the field of otolaryngology.

2024-01-07 08:24:01

#sudden #hearing #loss #accompanied #dizziness #recovery #careful