Dr. John Oertle of Envita Medical Centers Highlights Ways for Early Detection of Stomach Cancer on AZFamily

Simple steps for early detection may be the gamechanger in checking stomach cancer deaths, which is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. In a report, aired by AZFamily to mark stomach cancer awareness month, Dr. John Oertle, Chief Medical Director, Envita Medical Centers said, “It is a huge concern because it is so deadly.” Typically, gastric cancers are diagnosed when it has already spread beyond, making them late-stage cancers with poor prognosis, conventionally.

To overcome this challenge, especially when statistics point to an increase in metastatic stomach cancer among young adults, Dr Oertle emphasized the need for early detection tools. “Many times, the way that you understand it and diagnose it, is [by] doing a scope with your gastroenterologist, but nobody wants to do that. What we like to be able to do is having algorithms to be able to run the blood and see if you have gastric cancer,” said Dr. Oertle. He explained how his team at Envita utilizes the most advanced technology to screen at least 20 different types of cancers through a simple blood test.

“There's new technology out there... and we have health plans that utilize that kind of technology to catch it early,” said Dr. Oertle. To know more about new technological advancements in the prevention and treatment of stomach cancer and the symptoms to be aware of, watch this report.