Endoscopy Department at the P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute

The endoscopic department of the P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute – the branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Russian Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, performs a wide range of endoscopic surgical and therapeutic methods of treating patients with early, widespread forms of malignant neoplasms and precancerous diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract.

The department actively uses the following endoscopic treatment methods:

• Endoscopic resection of the mucous membrane;
• Endoscopic resection of the mucous membrane with dissection in the submucosal layer;
• Photodynamic therapy (PDT);
• Argon plasma coagulation (APC);
• Endoscopic stenting of hollow organs of the gastrointestinal tract, trachea and bronchial tree;
• Endoscopic laser surgery;
• Endoscopic balloon dilation;
• Endoscopic papillosphincterotomy;
• Endoscopic stenting of intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts;
• Endoscopic neurolysis of the celiac plexus in pain syndrome;
• Endoscopic puncture gastrostomy.

The department performs radical endoscopic treatment for the following diseases:

• Barrett’s esophagus;
• Early squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and early cancer associated with Barrett’s esophagus;
• Early cancer of the stomach and colon;
• Adenomas of the stomach and colon with varying degrees of epithelial dysplasia;
• Neuroendocrine tumors (carcinoids) of the stomach and lungs;
• Early cancer of the trachea and early central lung cancer;
• Laryngeal papillomatosis;
• Aprikosov’s papillomas and tumors in the esophagus;
• The department performs palliative endoscopic treatment for the following diseases:
• Stenotic cancer of the trachea and bronchi;
• Stenotic cancer of the esophagus, stomach and colon;
• Tumor fistulas of the upper gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract;
• Invasive cancer of the upper gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract, with refusal of surgical treatment;
• Pancreatic and bile duct cancer with mechanical jaundice syndrome;
• Chronic pain syndrome in pancreatic cancer.

The ENDOONCO School, part of the Russian-Japanese Reference Center for Endoscopic Diagnostics and Treatment, is very popular among regional specialists, who have the opportunity to undergo training in person and by correspondence via telemedicine.

This is the first experience of practical training of a new type — online consultations during a “Live” endoscopic examination with the latest equipment, allowing us to examine previously inaccessible tiny tumors of the esophagus, stomach, colon, pancreas, mediastinum, lungs and simultaneously perform a biopsy with the finest needles. The opportunity to watch and discuss what is happening in real time right in the integrated “smart” operating room of the endoscopic department is of great interest to specialists in this area of cancer diagnostics and treatment.

The rapid development of medical technologies in recent years has allowed us to take a fresh look at endoscopy as one of the most important methods for the early detection of tumor diseases.

Russian-Japanese Center ENDOONCO

In February 2022, the Russian-Japanese center ENDOONCO was opened with the participation of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, the Federation Council and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Russia, Mr. Toyohisa Kozuki.

The Russian-Japanese Reference Center for Endoscopic Diagnostics and Treatment in Oncology ENDOONCO is unique for our country. It conducts high-tech endoscopic examinations using equipment that provides 200-fold magnification. This allows the doctor to notice even the slightest changes in the patient’s body and recognize malignant neoplasms at the earliest stages. In addition, the reference center organizes interactive training of specialists and telemedicine consultations for patients from all regions. Communication channels installed directly in the operating room allow the endoscopist to contact experts from the NMIC of Radiology and, if necessary, Japanese colleagues in real time to get a “second opinion” on complex cases. After all, it is Japanese specialists who have the most experience in the world in diagnosing and treating oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

The partnership of Russian and Japanese experts is a major step in the development of medical care and improving its quality, thanks to which the diagnosis of oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can reach a fundamentally new level.

The priority area of work of the endoscopic department of the P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute – the branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Russian Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation is the diagnostics of cancer and other tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract at an early stage, detection and treatment of precancerous diseases.

The department staff has extensive experience in endoscopic diagnostics of:

• Early central lung cancer and early laryngeal cancer;
• Early cancer of the stomach, esophagus and colon;
• Barrett’s esophagus and early cancer associated with it;
• Gastric lymphoma;
• Neuroendocrine tumors (carcinoids) of the stomach and lungs;
• Nonepithelial tumors of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Dysplastic and metaplastic changes in the epithelium of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract.

Differential diagnostics is successfully performed:

• Enlarged lymph nodes of the mediastinum;
• Spacious lesions of the pancreas;
• Tumors of the extrahepatic bile ducts.

The following diagnostic studies are performed in the endoscopic department of the P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute – the branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Russian Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation:

• Multimodal esophagogastroduodenoscopy, including examination of the mucosa in high-resolution white light (WLI-HD), narrow-band endoscopy (NBI) with 150x optical magnification, autofluorescence endoscopy (AFI) and virtual digital spectroscopy (iHb) with targeted biopsy;
• Multimodal bronchoscopy, including narrow-band endoscopy (NBI), autofluorescence endoscopy (AFI) and virtual digital spectroscopy (iHb), photodynamic diagnostics (PDD) with targeted biopsy;
• High-resolution colonoscopy (WLI-HD) with examination of the colon mucosa in narrow-band mode (NBI-HD);
• Endoscopic ultrasonography of the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract, with high and low frequency, including in combination with fine-needle puncture;
• Confocal laser endomicroscopy of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract and pancreatobiliary zone – with an image magnification of 1000 times;
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in combination with endoscopic ultrasonography;
• Multimodal examination of the upper respiratory tract, including narrow-band endoscopy (NBI), autofluorescence endoscopy (AFI) and virtual digital spectroscopy (iHb), photodynamic diagnostics (PDD) with targeted biopsy;
• It is possible to perform all endoscopic studies under drug-induced sleep.

The Endoscopy Department of the P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute – the branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Russian Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, has highly qualified staff. The department employs 3 senior research fellows, 2 research fellows, 3 junior research fellows, 2 endoscopists, a senior nurse, 7 procedural nurses, 1 nurse anesthetist, and a medical engineer. Eight employees of the department have a PhD degree in medicine.