{"id":139682,"date":"2026-05-20T13:54:53","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T10:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aslimnica.lv\/?page_id=139682"},"modified":"2026-07-20T14:05:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T11:05:18","slug":"from-diagnostics-to-prevention-east-hospitals-pilot-project-enhances-cancer-treatment-and-supports-early-risk-detection","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/aslimnica.lv\/en\/from-diagnostics-to-prevention-east-hospitals-pilot-project-enhances-cancer-treatment-and-supports-early-risk-detection\/","title":{"rendered":"From diagnostics to prevention: East Hospital\u2019s pilot project enhances cancer treatment and supports early risk detection"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<strong>As part of the pilot project titled \u2018Introduction of New Highly Effective Molecular Pathology Diagnostic Methods and Services for the Development of Precision Medicine in Oncology\u2019, the Riga East University Hospital (East Hospital) has developed and clinically validated a unified molecular diagnostics model for patients with colorectal, endometrial, and gastric cancer in accordance with international guidelines. The project covers the entire patient pathway, from accurate diagnostics to targeted treatment and early detection of inherited cancer risk.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>More accurate cancer diagnostics is key to personalised treatment. The pilot project involved 1,449\u00a0molecular examinations, including microsatellite instability (MSI) analysis of 1,240 tumour samples and mismatch repair (MMR) analysis of 249\u00a0samples. Additionally, over 200\u00a0patients underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS), enabling the analysis of several hundred genes associated with tumour development within a single examination. Overall, high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) was detected in 13.1% of cases.<\/p>\n<p>Molecular diagnostics allows physicians to take more precise decisions on treatment based on tumour biology rather than solely on the diagnosis, thereby reducing the risk of ineffective treatment and improving patient selection for targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Head of the Laboratory Service and Director of the Pathology Centre at East Hospital, <strong>Aija Balode<\/strong>, emphasizes that during the pilot project, MSI testing was fully integrated in the routine practice by using a fully automated real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, while simultaneously validating the NGS approach, which enables the detection of both MSI and other clinically significant biomarkers within a single examination.<\/p>\n<p>One of the key direct benefits of this diagnostics approach is more targeted treatment. Pilot project results suggest that molecular testing significantly influences the selection of treatment. Among patients with stage\u00a0I\u2013III colorectal cancer, MSI-H was detected in 23.9% of cases, allowing to reassess the need for adjuvant (postoperative) chemotherapy for nearly every fourth patient. Meanwhile, in stage IV, MSI-H was detected in 5.8% of patients, enabling the identification of those eligible for immunotherapy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>El\u012bna S\u012bvi\u0146a<\/strong>, oncologist-chemotherapist at the Outpatient Therapy Department of East Hospital and <strong>Associate Professor<\/strong>, emphasises that knowing the MSI and MMR status makes it possible to avoid treatments which do not benefit a certain patient group and to focus on truly effective treatment. Such an approach means not only less side effects for patients, but also a more rational use of healthcare resources, while improving treatment outcomes.<\/p>\n<p>A key element of the pilot project is prevention which is closely linked to genetic assessment. The project has strengthened the link between molecular diagnostics and medical genetics, enabling the timely identification of patients with an inherited tumour risk. A total of 139\u00a0patients were referred for genetic counselling, of whom 104\u00a0completed the examination process. Lynch syndrome, which is the most common hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, was confirmed in 9.6% of cases, while other inherited tumour predisposition syndromes were identified in 19% of patients.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>An especially important benefit is that testing of family members identified around 40\u00a0presymptomatic individuals at elevated risk of developing the disease. According to Professor <strong>Baiba L\u0101ce<\/strong>, medical geneticist at East Hospital, generic assessment makes it possible not only to help the individual patient, but also to protect family members who are still healthy but belong to a high-risk group.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the pilot project results show that targeted molecular diagnostics in Latvia is not only clinically significant, but also practically feasible, providing patients with more accurate diagnostics, more effective treatment, and timely prevention.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><em>About the East Hospital\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Riga East University Hospital is the largest and strategically significant multi-profile hospital in the country. The hospital consists of five inpatient facilities\u00a0\u2013 Gai\u013cezers, Latvian Oncology Centre, Bi\u0137ernieki, Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Centre, and Latvian Infectious Diseases Centre, along with various specialised centres and clinics. The hospital provides highly specialised inpatient and secondary outpatient healthcare, offering multidisciplinary tertiary-level treatment and care in line with modern technology and medical knowledge. Approximately 80% of all cancer patients in Latvia are treated at the hospital. It serves as a practical training base for both Latvian educational institutions and foreign students, providing further education and knowledge transfer to healthcare specialists within and beyond the country. The hospital engages in scientific research and develops innovative methods for patient treatment. As the third-largest employer in the country, the hospital employs around 5000\u00a0staff members.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As part of the pilot project titled \u2018Introduction of New Highly Effective Molecular Pathology Diagnostic Methods and Services for the Development of Precision Medicine in Oncology\u2019, the Riga East University Hospital (East Hospital) has developed and clinically validated a unified molecular diagnostics model for patients with colorectal, endometrial, and gastric cancer in accordance with international<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-139682","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - 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