Myths and truth about cancer. Diagnosis - oncology

Today in Russia 3.5 million people live with a cancer diagnosis. 50% of patients find out about their disease at stages 3-4, when it is no longer so easy to help them. How to avoid ending up in this category, how to recover and not get sick? The director general of the National Medical Research Center for Radiology of the Russian Ministry of Health, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Kaprin, tells the story.

Why are there more patients?

The number of cancer patients is growing all over the world. This is due not only to an increase in incidence, but also to an improvement in the detection of the disease. Life expectancy has increased, and age is the main factor in the development of the disease. Thanks to medical advances, cancer patients have begun to live longer, and this also increases the number of cancer patients.

Are there many patients because they are being treated incorrectly?

A professor of medical physics and physiology at the University of California, who studied the life expectancy of cancer patients for 25 years, came to the conclusion that supposedly patients who received chemotherapy lived on average 3 years, and those who refused treatment - 12.5.

Doctors have long known that chemotherapy for cancer does not always help and not everyone. Recently it became clear why. Previously, it was believed that a tumor consisted of a single type of cell. Recent studies have shown that tumors are usually heterogeneous and consist of several pools of stem cells. Chemotherapy in some cases is ineffective, since it acts on some cells, while the receptors of another pool “do not respond” to it. Therefore, for example, our center has invented a microbioreactor, which allows us to determine which drugs will be effective before starting treatment.

We believe that the use of oncoradiology increases the chances of beating cancer. A unique drug has appeared in the branch of our center in Obninsk - gamma knife, which is considered the gold standard in radiation oncology. It allows you to remove a tumor without surgery, using a beam of photons, without affecting healthy tissue. Gamma Knife is designed to treat hard-to-reach tumors, including the head and neck. Now NMITRC has the entire line of radiation equipment.

Before this, there were only five gamma knife systems in Russia (three of them were in private medical centers).

Is it possible to live long with cancer?

Writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn recovered from stage 4 cancer and lived to be 89 years old. Children's writer Anatoly Aleksin lived with this diagnosis until he was 92 years old.

The life expectancy of cancer patients depends on many factors - the location and aggressiveness of the tumor, the age and health of the patient, and the treatment he received. But the main thing is at what stage the disease was detected. When malignant neoplasms are detected at an early stage, the 5-year survival rate is 85%. In some localizations (for example, breast cancer), the percentage of cured patients is 95%. Unfortunately, 50% of patients come to the doctor’s attention at the 3-4th stage of the disease. At the same time, advanced neoplasms of visual localizations were unacceptably often detected - tumors of the oral cavity (61.3%), rectum (46.9%), cervix (32.9%), thyroid gland (29.6%). Unfortunately, cancer alertness among general practitioners is still very low. So far, clinical examination has not lived up to expectations. Only 18% of patients with neoplasms were identified during preventive examinations.

How to sense something is wrong?

If a person notices weakness, apathy, or causeless weight loss, you need to go to the doctor. You should also not ignore the darkening, deformation or increase in size of a mole, wounds that do not heal for a long time, the appearance of blood (in urine, stool, sputum when coughing), disturbances in the intestines, the appearance of lymph nodes or neoplasms on the body, and a lingering cough.

What are the preventative measures?

Don't smoke - smoking increases the risk of lung cancer by 30 times. Do not abuse alcohol - alcohol provokes liver cancer. Don't overeat and don't indulge in sweets - a high content of fats and carbohydrates in your diet provokes the development of tumors. Protect yourself from the sun - this will protect you from melanoma. Physical activity reduces the risk of developing any type of cancer. Get preventive screenings - early diagnosis is called a cancer vaccine.

What to do if treatment is not started on time?

It is unacceptable for a patient to wait two to three months for treatment. However, this situation is no longer possible. In 2017, Russia adopted a procedure for providing special treatment no later than 14 days after morphological confirmation of the diagnosis. By the way, this does not exist anywhere in the world - in Sweden, for example, patients wait for treatment on average 30-35 days, depending on the location.

Infographics by Anastasia Kondratieva

What is cancer?

Cancer is a malignant tumor emanating (growing) from epithelial tissue cells (mucous membranes, skin). The most common variant is glandular cancer - adenocarcinoma. Malignant tumors arising from connective tissue cells (muscle, cartilage, bones, fatty tissue, etc.) are called sarcomas. Cancer is not just one tumor, but a whole group of tumors, which also has its own classification. Taking into account the fact that mucous membranes are present in almost every internal organ, cancer can also occur in any of them (stomach, lungs, mammary gland, etc.). Cancer develops most often in certain organs. Cancer occurs much more often (every 10 - 15 times) than sarcoma and is more typical for older people. Sarcomas, on the contrary, occur more often in young people. In addition to cancers and sarcomas (of which there are also many varieties), there are many other malignant tumors (you may have heard of lymphogranulomatosis, melanoma, etc.). One can judge the diversity of malignant tumors using, say, the example of the pancreas. In addition to “traditional” adenocarcinoma, it can develop: insulinoma, gastrinoma, VIPoma, PP-oma, glucagonoma, somatostatinoma. Also very rarely there are squamous cell carcinoma and sarcomas, and often a carcinoid tumor. As you can see, the group of malignant tumors is very diverse. Each tumor has its own characteristics of growth, clinical picture, metastasis, etc. (I hope that at least now maybe someone will understand how unrealistic it is to find one panacea medicine for all tumors at once, which, however, is constantly offered by “healers”). “People” usually call all malignant tumors “cancers.” This is incorrect, as is the use of the term “tumors,” which also carries a very large semantic load. It is more correct to say “blastoma” when talking about a malignant tumor. The same difference can be seen in the English-language literature: cancer (cancer) - blastoma, malignant tumor; carcinoma - epithelial, glandular blastoma, cancer. However, since this section and the site as a whole are “for everyone,” and not for oncologists, in the future we will use familiar terms for the majority.

What is a “malignant tumor”?

A malignant tumor is a special form of tissue growth, a neoplasm that has certain specific properties. Previously (and, in general, many still do) the following were considered signs of malignancy:

1. Uncontrolled, uncontrolled growth by the body.

2. Ability to metastasize.

3. Invasive, infiltrative, locally destructive growth.

However, the last two signs are not unique. For example, a purulent focus (septicopyemia) can metastasize; endometriosis can metastasize the endometrium to certain organs. It doesn't matter that "technically" the process may proceed differently, what matters is that the property is not unique. As well as the invasive growth that is observed in neural elements and melanoblasts in the embryonic period of development, trophoblasts during pregnancy. Locally destructive (locally destructive) growth is characteristic of many fungal diseases, for example, actinomycosis. Thus, the distinctive property is the first sign and it is truly unique. Every “ordinary” cell has the property of apoptosis (apoptosis is a genetically programmed cell death), that is, it “knows” after what period of time it needs to die. The cancer cell has “forgot” about death; it is forever young and forever alive. Perhaps this is the most unique thing created by nature. It is possible that the secret of immortality is hidden in the secrets of the cancer cell. Without our intervention, it cannot die, only if its carrier - a living organism, the “breadwinner” - dies. When talking about tumor autonomy, one should remember the conventions of this term. Nothing in nature can develop completely independently, especially in one organism. Autonomy manifests itself in a violation of correlation and control by the body. In general, a tumor develops in accordance with the general laws of genetics of cellular organisms. Tumor growth occurs according to general biological laws, and its distortions relate primarily to the quantitative side, and not to qualitative differences in comparison with normal physiological processes occurring in nature. Tumor cells acquire distinctive properties only in relation to the organ and organism in which they develop.

What causes cancer?

Cancer is genetically determined (predetermined by the genetic code, or rather, by its change). There are many theories of cancer development (hereditary, chemical, viral, chromosomal, etc.), but all of them essentially reflect only different aspects of a single process. Today it is clearly known and proven that any living cell on Earth contains proto-oncogenes (special polypeptide substances), which under certain conditions transform into an active form - oncogenes. But oncogenes already build the blast, malignant version of the cell, which gives rise to tumor growth. There are a great many factors that contribute to the transition of proto-oncogene to its active form - chemicals, radiation, insolation, viruses, etc. All these factors are inherently carcinogenic. (By the way, the most significant are various chemical substances. Radiation, which is now very fashionable to talk about, occupies a much more modest place compared to chemistry). Under the influence of carcinogenic factors, blast transformation (malignant degeneration) of the cell occurs. This process is constant; it is believed that from a thousand to a hundred thousand (and in fact, maybe more - who can count?) cancerous (essentially mutated) cells can be formed in the body per day. Some of them transform back into normal ones. However, the majority are destroyed by the body as foreign. There is even a special type of immunity - antitumor. (I am not an immunologist, but even knowledge of the general laws of physiology inclines me to deny “special” types of immunity. Immunity is a single integral multifactorial dynamic system for maintaining the genetic homogeneity of the internal environment. Another question is that there are certain links in this system that are responsible for certain functions, and, therefore, various imbalances and discorrelations are also possible. Of course, you can isolate some links and functions for practical, applied purposes, for example, to solve issues of cancer immunotherapy, but remember that in nature everything is initially united and interconnected). How and why a malfunction in the immune system occurs and another cancer cell is “missed” is a question that has not been fully studied. Although much is already known, and what is known indicates the multivariability of such failures (similar to the multivariability of carcinogenic effects). It is known, for example, that some cancer cells can even shed markers that “give them away” from the membrane in the event of a threat from the body’s “cleaners,” thereby “steering off the chase.” (And now another interesting feature of a cancer cell is known - during chemotherapy, a special pump is turned on in it, which pumps the drug out of the cell, so it fights for its life. Amazing!) If we speak from the standpoint of general biology, then the cancerous degeneration of a cell is This is just one of many possible options for its development. We humans, from a social point of view, accept this process as undesirable and terrible - illness, suffering, death. From the point of view of nature, everything is not so - just a development option, apparently, “with the right to life” like all other options. It is difficult to say now whether the proto-oncogene has always existed in cells (it does not give the impression of an organic unity and whole with cellular structures - this is what geneticists say - in connection with which even a fantastic theory of infection with a proto-oncogene from Space arose), but the fact remains a fact. And success awaits us when we can fully control the process of proto-oncogene activation, which is one of the tasks of genetic engineering. The 1993 Nobel Laureates, who received the prize for the discovery of gene mosaicism, very vaguely hinted (or so it seemed to me?) that these control mechanisms will be in the hands of Humanity in the near future.

What is carcinogenesis?

Carcinogenesis is the process of degeneration of a cell from normal to malignant, the process of cell blast transformation. It has its own patterns and stages. Of course, much remains to be learned in this process, but much is already known. Today, carcinogenesis is presented in the form of several successive stages - initiation, promotion, cloning of blast-transformed cells and further development of the tumor. The first two phases are caused by exposure to carcinogens. In the first phase - initiation - irreversible damage to the cell's genotype occurs (gene mutations, chromosomal aberrations - various rearrangements of genetic material), and the cell becomes predisposed to transformation. This is latent (hidden) cancer. So the cell may remain, or it may die without becoming cancerous. In the second phase - promotion - the cell acquires a phenotype corresponding to the altered genotype, the phenotype of a transformed cell (a phenotype is like an “external” implementation of the “internal, inherent” genotype, the development of the phenotype depends on moderating environmental factors - in this case, the environment of the organism, where carcinogenic factors may have a long-term effect). The development of such a phenotype is a reversible phenomenon, that is, the cell can return back to the normal phenotype. In order for the transformed phenotype to become stable, prolonged exposure to carcinogens is necessary. Cloning of such a transformed cell is the beginning of the growth of the tumor itself, which almost immediately acquires an autonomous growth pattern. As we can see, the process of carcinogenesis is quite complex, and it is not so easy for an ordinary cell to turn into a malignant one. However, if we constantly “get it”, for example, by smoking, then sooner or later we will get a logical answer. Avoid carcinogens!

Who can get cancer?

Anyone can get cancer. Moreover, any animal can get cancer. Moreover, any living creature - animal, plant, any multicellular organism - can get cancer. And only, apparently, at the level of single-celled organisms, malignant transformation cannot be called cancer in the full sense of the word, since (see above) tumor cells acquire distinctive properties only in relation to the organ and organism in which they develop. For example, according to the pathology service of the Moscow Zoo, about 3% of the animals that died there died from cancer. I think that in nature the number of animals that die from cancer is much less, almost none. Firstly, the majority die before their time due to intra- and interspecific struggle, and secondly, they do not have as many carcinogens affecting the body as animals living in the city center. But there is a huge distance between “may get sick” and “already got sick.” And this distance is actually specific properties, characteristics of the body, the immune system. In fact, taking into account the fact that with age the pool of mutated cells continuously increases, and the immune system, due to increasing changes in various types of metabolism, is weakened, everyone should potentially develop cancer. It is not without reason that some oncologists are of the opinion that everyone should eventually get cancer, it’s just that not everyone lives to see “their cancer” (they can die earlier from myocardial infarction, stroke, trauma and many, many other reasons). Is it worth grieving over this? Probably not, since this is as illogical as grieving in general over the impending death someday in the future. In order to feel somewhat calmer, it is necessary to carefully study the issues of primary and secondary cancer prevention.

How long does it take for cancer to grow?

Each tumor has its own growth rate. There are such differences both in organs and in histological types of tumors; the growth rates of the same type of tumor differ in different tumor carriers (age, metabolic characteristics, etc.). The rate of tumor growth directly depends on the doubling time of the malignant cell, since cancer develops almost according to the laws of geometric progression. Despite the great variability in growth rates, there are nevertheless average figures for different localizations. For example, for breast cancer, the average cell doubling time is 272 days. In practice, this means that it takes about 10 years for a tumor the size of one cubic centimeter to develop. Stomach cancer, on average, grows slightly faster. It is believed that from the onset of stomach cancer to its clinical manifestation, approximately 2 to 3 years pass. Sometimes lightning-fast forms of growth occur - within a few months. The most offensive thing, in fact, is that when cancer is most treatable - in stage 1 or 2 - it, as a rule, does not manifest itself in anything, and, therefore, belated diagnosis is followed by belated treatment. If all cancers were diagnosed in the first stage, then practically no one would die from cancer. This is where the insidiousness of cancer manifests itself. At the same time, when the clinical picture of the disease appeared, we can talk about a fairly large stage of development (stages 2, 3, 4), and developing (according to the laws of geometric progression) with acceleration, quite quickly. Hence one important practical piece of advice - there is absolutely no point in delaying treatment issues. At the first stage, you can “kick around” for a month or two, essentially this will not change anything, but at stage 3, two or three months of thinking about the proposed treatment, wasting time on all sorts of healers and shamans can play a fatal role.

Can cancer be inherited?

There is no such direct inheritance of tumors. However, in some families there is an increased tendency to develop cancer of one type or another. First of all, these are, of course, hereditary diseases such as familial diffuse polyposis, Pates-Yeghers syndrome, Lynch syndrome and some others. In addition, cases of frequent incidence within the same family of stomach cancer, breast cancer and other tumors without inheritance of diseases, which are essentially obligate precancers, have been identified. Cytogenetic studies identified specific genes responsible for the inheritance of the above syndromes. Thus, it is not cancer that is inherited, but an increased predisposition to it. The difference is that once such a predisposition is established, it is possible to implement a number of measures aimed at preventing the development of cancer. For example, in case of diffuse familial polyposis, a subtotal colectomy (subtotal removal of the large intestine) is a justified measure. The development of cytogenetic research methods and their wider introduction into practice in Russia will make it possible to identify the majority of such syndromes and promptly carry out cancer prevention. In fact, these activities can apparently be attributed to secondary cancer prevention. However, parallels between the clinical picture and chromosomal changes are not always identified. It is possible that not all variants of genetic changes have been studied (and this is indeed the case), or it is possible that there are other factors that are still unknown to us, but also genetically determined (for example, some genetically determined changes in the immune system, which may not affect the development a specific type of tumor, but in general a general predisposition to atypical development, I have repeatedly encountered such patients in my practice, who managed to undergo treatment for 1, 2, 3, 4 different cancers and continued to live until the next location with which they came to us. department). Thus, we can talk not about the inheritance of a tumor, but about the inheritance of an increased predisposition to cancer (of a specific type or different), while all other people inherit a “normal” predisposition to cancer. All these options are again included in the concept of “genetic determination,” and the hereditary theory of cancer is thus a special case of the general gene theory. A practical conclusion is that if many relatives in your family have had cancer, you should be more wary of your health and periodically resort to some diagnostic methods, depending on the specific situation and state of health. The second conclusion is that if no one in your family has had cancer (does this happen?), this does not mean that you cannot get it, so you still need to be careful about your health.

Is cancer contagious?

Taking into account the above answer to the question “what causes cancer”, you yourself can answer - no. A disease can be contagious if there is some real substrate that carries the “infection” and which can actually pass from one person to another. In addition, the “infection” must have properties that allow it to develop in a new “host”. For example, the “infection” is the influenza virus, and the substrate is a droplet of mucus that escapes when sneezing (which is why, by the way, it is recommended to wear gauze masks covering the nose and mouth during a flu epidemic). What is the “infection” in cancer? Altered genetic code, chromosomal abnormalities. Even if we assume that by some miracle this cell got into another organism, and assume that it did not die instantly, then how can a chromosome with a defective gene get into a healthy cell, and even integrate into the genetic code of the cell, and even make cage “work for yourself”? No way. In fact, there are still certain types of cancer that are caused by viruses, in particular, hairy cell leukemia and Burkitt's lymphoma. Here, the role of the substrate is a virus, which manages to integrate the altered genome into the chromosomes of the host cell. But there are only one or two malignant tumors caused by viruses and that’s all. And besides, extremely rare. The likelihood of becoming infected with such a virus is an order of magnitude lower than, for example, contracting smallpox. In addition, it is necessary that the virus, after being introduced into the body, manages to penetrate the cell and “trigger” the mechanism of viral carcinogenesis. Moreover, after all, this does not mean that the sick person releases viruses into the external environment; the disease is not at all viral, not infectious. You are as likely to get infected from such a patient as you are to get any other cancer. Getting sick, for example, with stomach cancer from a neighbor is just as impossible as getting diabetes or, for example, hypertension from him. The non-contagiousness of cancer is confirmed by studies of cancer incidence among oncologists. This incidence corresponds to the average in its population and area.

Is there immunity from cancer?

As mentioned above, from a thousand to a hundred thousand cancer cells can form in the body per day, however, all of them are destroyed by the body as foreign. It is impossible to divide immunity into any “fractions” - antitumor, antiviral, antibacterial, etc. Immunity is a complex, integral system of control and correction of the genetic homogeneity of the internal environment. Moreover, it does not matter at all where the “foreign” genetic material comes from - it comes from outside, or is formed inside as a result of mutational transformations of cells. It is apparently much easier to distinguish those who came from outside, but their own changed cells are harder, they have too much in common with their own, “relatives”. A failure in such recognition can be twofold - on the one hand, cells of the body that have been changed for some reason and do not pose an immediate threat are recognized as “foreign”, and then one or another autoimmune disease occurs. On the other hand, altered own cells, which are the precursors of malignant neoplasms, can be “passed” by the control system and multiply unhindered. Research into the causes of this failure is ongoing. It is known that antitumor immunity is essentially cellular, which ultimately must be provided by T-lymphocytes. But how to make them immunocompetent, that is, clearly recognizing cancer cells and certainly killing them, is a whole problem. Recently it has been established that dendritic cells existing in the body (probably the ancestors of all bone marrow and blood cells in general) exist in various organs and tissues, as well as in peripheral blood. It is they who, in contact with the tumor cell, receive all the necessary information about the antigenic composition and must convey this information to the T-lymphocyte. This is where problems arise. It turns out that a cancer cell also secretes a number of specific substances that destroy dendritic cells. But... without wanting to delve into the molecular mechanisms (the site is still for the people), in general it should be noted that, apparently, all these rather complex relationships of immune system cells with each other and with tumor cells are sooner or later disturbed with a predominance of “balance” cancer cells. It is likely that an increase in the pool of mutated cells leads to a strained immune system and, ultimately, to a failure of the immune response. That’s why cancer is typical for older people, because on the one hand, the number of mutations is extremely high, and on the other hand, the formation of one’s own dendritic cells (and others) is suppressed. It turned out that in this case it is possible to help the body - by incubating dendritic cells under special conditions and reintroducing them into the body, which is the essence of cancer vaccination (this is a very complex technological process, accessible through the joint activities of several research institutes, but not at the level of an amateurish approach, therefore the well-known statements about Resan are absolute absurdity and deception). Apparently, in 5 - 7 years, technologies for the production of effective anti-cancer autovaccines will be finally created. In addition, there are new drugs that have been developed and are being developed that can affect various parts of the described circuit, apparently causing activation of dendritic cells, and possibly acting on some other parts. The immune treatment option for cancer is a systemic option, the most effective, since it will not leave a single altered cell in the entire body. Immunotherapy is the cancer treatment of the 21st century.

Is cancer related to stress?

But this is a very interesting and debatable question. It did not arise by chance, but because very often the onset of the disease is associated with some kind of experience, stress. I can assure you from my own experience that almost a fifth of my patients associate the onset of the disease with one or another experience (the death of a husband, wife, son, fire, etc.). Knowing about the timing of tumor growth and the development of the clinical picture, of course, one does not really believe in the psychogenic nature of cancer. Rather, the stress that has occurred manifests latent (hidden) cancer. But why then are there so many such combinations? Maybe it has something to do with Russian characteristics? So after all, abroad it is not without it. There is no reliable data from any studies conducted on the psychogenic effect on the development of a malignant tumor. Or rather, I haven’t come across one. But in general it’s not difficult to imagine this. The mental, or more correctly, the psychophysiological state is one of the moderating factors in the vital activity of the body in general and various types of metabolism in particular. Unfortunately, in Russian medicine, the original “nervous” direction of physiological concepts, created by I. P. Pavlov, has been largely lost and forgotten, and, after Hans Selye’s discovery of the essence of emotional stress, priority is given to “humoralistic” tendencies. Another bow to the West. Before “going” to surgery, I was interested in issues of psychophysiology, and in the three-volume description of the laboratory work of Bykov and Petrova, I came across the following experience (or rather, there are many of them, of course, but as an example) - rats developed a conditioned reflex: a bell - an electric shock. When exposed to electric current, naturally, there was a sharp jump (rise) in blood pressure. After the development and consolidation of the conditioned reflex, the pressure surge was recorded for one call, without a confirming electric shock. Next, the experimenters did the following: they administered a dose of benzohexonium five times higher than the permissible upper limit (this is a ganglion blocker that causes severe hypotension, used in medicine for controlled hypotension) and at the same time pressed the bell. What do you think happened? The pressure has jumped up! Consequently, signals from the central nervous system overcame the drug effect of benzohexonium. I gave an example in order to clearly demonstrate the correctness of the popular proverb “all diseases come from nerves.” Any of you will confirm how strongly your emotional state and mood affects your physical abilities. How often, after nervous breakdowns, people “grab” various sores. I think there is no need to prove any more. So what about cancer? Of course, there is no “psychogenic” cancer; cancer is a genetically determined disease. But as a moderating factor, the psychophysiological state certainly plays a certain role. The immunosuppressive (depressant) effect of emotional stress is also likely; other mechanisms are also possible. I think that in the presence of initiated, genetically modified cells, stress can indirectly influence the further development of cancer. This question, of course, needs research. But a practical conclusion can still be drawn - avoid nervous tension, stress, and a negative attitude towards all the people around you. Either way, it's good for your health.

Have you had cancer before?

Cancer has always existed, just as the possibility of cellular mutation and transformation has always existed. We find references to malignant tumors, specific issues of their diagnosis and treatment in almost all medical manuscripts that have survived to this day (Hippocrates, Avicenna, etc.). Unfortunately, I cannot now remember exactly the source where I read the following interesting information - during the study of one of the Egyptian mummies, bone metastases were discovered in its bones (at least changes in the structure of bone tissue characteristic of them), which were quite naturally preserved to this day, along with the skeleton itself. In principle, there is nothing interesting that this poor Egyptian had cancer, but the simple fact of discovering such an “ancient” disease is interesting. But, of course, cancer existed much earlier than the times mentioned. Logically speaking, I have no doubt that cancer has always existed as long as multicellular organisms existed on the surface of the Earth. Another question is how often they got sick with it, because the question itself is: “did it happen before?” - for good reason, namely because of the rarity of mentions of cancer in history, one gets the impression that it never happened. There was cancer, but, compared to today, much less often. It was in the 20th century that there was a rapid increase in the incidence of cancer.

Why is the incidence of cancer increasing?

There are several reasons for the increase in incidence. The most important reason is the rapid development of our civilization. As you know, our civilization is technocratic, its development is associated with the emergence of a huge number of new mechanisms, fields, radiation, chemical compounds and other things, which, as it turned out, for the most part have a harmful, and often carcinogenic, effect on the human body. Moreover, civilization consistently and inexorably violates the existing ecological balance, which allowed nature the opportunity to “clean itself”, thereby the pollution of our environment has become even more pronounced and powerful. What we breathe, drink and eat contains a huge amount of carcinogens that our ancestors did not know. Oddly enough, medicine also indirectly influences the increase in cancer incidence. Improved medical care for the population naturally led to an increase in life expectancy, and this in itself (cancer is mainly the province of the elderly) led to an increase in the number of cancer cases. Our ancestors not only did not have such a number of carcinogens, but they also lived on average 35 - 40 - 45 years. Is it any wonder that they rarely got cancer? Another medical reason is improved cancer diagnosis. It was not so rare in the past for people to die without any diagnostic procedures, much less post-mortem autopsies. And how many old people die in villages today “due to old age”? I think that if a total anatomy of the dead had been undertaken, the morbidity figures would not have doubled. And one more tricky point - after all, not only the primary incidence is increasing, but also the total number of cancer patients (both newly diagnosed and treated) in the entire population, and increasing significantly. And, oddly enough, the increase in the total number of cancer patients is associated with the successes of oncology. It is the prolongation of the lives of cancer patients that leads to the fact that many of them annually, while continuing to live, increase these statistical indicators. Man will never give up the achieved heights of civilization. Even if we assume the unlikely - that tomorrow everyone will “wake up” and start solving environmental problems, then there are other factors that will determine the increase in cancer incidence. However, participation in solving environmental problems is the duty of every citizen of the Earth. Well, the problem of the remaining increase, I think, will be solved by finding new advanced methods of genetic prevention.

What cancer treatments are there?

Today, the main types of cancer treatment are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy (with a particular subtype - chemohormonotherapy). Immunotherapy for cancer has come into force. And not far off, but almost on the threshold, a new type is cancer gene therapy. The surgical method is surgical treatment, direct removal, “excision” of the tumor, with the implementation of a number of specific principles of oncological surgery, which are not known to all general surgeons, and if they are known, they are not always implemented. Radiation therapy is the exposure of a tumor to a stream of one or another type of radiation (X-rays, gamma rays, a stream of fast electrons, etc.). Chemotherapy is the introduction into the body of drugs that have a detrimental effect on tumor cells, which can either completely destroy cancer cells or significantly inhibit their development. The surgical method and radiation therapy are local methods of treatment, affecting directly the growth zone of the tumor itself, the surrounding tissue and, in the best case, the path of regional metastasis. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment method, since the drugs act on tumor cells anywhere in the body. Taking into account the fact that cancer is a systemic disease, and not just a local disease of some organ, chemotherapy is the most appropriate and justified. Although in cases of early stages of malignant neoplasms, surgical treatment is most justified and effective today, which is still the main method of treatment in oncology. The modern development of oncology requires combined and complex methods of treatment. Combination treatment is when two types of treatment are combined (for example, surgery + chemotherapy). Complex - three or more (for example, preoperative radiation + surgery + chemotherapy). Only the use of these types has already significantly improved the results of cancer treatment. An isolated type of treatment is unacceptable today. It is used with certain reservations only in stage 1, sometimes in stage 2 of some diseases. The main thing that is included today is the mandatory implementation of cancer immunotherapy in complex treatment.

Can we cure cancer?

Yes, we can cure cancer. Like any disease in general, it is curable in principle. If we talk about the current situation, we can cure stage 1 cancer, and the results for treating stage 2 cancer are quite good. The situation is worse with the treatment of stage 3 cancer, however, even here, in a number of localizations, certain successes have been achieved, which allows some patients to achieve long-term remission. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that 40 - 50 years ago this did not exist. Give it time and oncologists will learn to treat stage 3 quite well even with the current state of medicine. Stage 4 cancer is currently considered incurable.

How to protect yourself from cancer?

If you have read all the above answers to the questions, then you are probably convinced that there are no and cannot be ways to “protect” you 100% from cancer. However, epidemiological studies in oncology and rich experience in practical oncology have made it possible to identify many existing patterns in the occurrence and development of cancer. All this experience is used to create a whole set of recommendations for the most rational lifestyle, which can significantly reduce the risk of illness. All this is included in the concept of primary cancer prevention. Secondary cancer prevention refers to a number of activities aimed mainly at improving the diagnosis of the earliest forms of cancer and early detection of disease progression after treatment. Thus, secondary prevention of cancer is aimed not so much at preventing morbidity, but rather at preventing mortality from cancer. If you still did not protect yourself and fell ill, then try to protect yourself from death from this disease and contact specialists who professionally treat oncological diseases.

Often we do not think about what is happening to our body, whether everything is in order, whether there are threats or prerequisites for the development of any disease, until the disease itself forces us to do so. Meanwhile, the occurrence of most ailments with proper and timely prevention can be prevented, thereby saving time, money and emotions. And maybe even save your life.

Oncologists at the European Medical Center attach great importance not only to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, but also to their prevention. There are many simple and accessible ways to help maintain your health, improve your well-being and reduce the risk of developing this serious disease.

According to the World Health Organization, at least a third of all cancers can be prevented.

For the prevention of cancer and other diseases, there are universal medical recommendations:

avoid smoking or chewing tobacco;
Eat a varied, healthy, plant-based, low-fat diet;
exercise regularly and maintain an optimal weight;
maintain a sleep schedule;
limit exposure to sunlight.

These measures are part of the concept of a healthy lifestyle and can prevent the development of cancer.

Vitamins and exercise

The American Cancer Society estimates that 30% to 40% of cancers are directly related to diet.

Eating more vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains helps prevent the development of cancer of the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system.

Sweet dreams

A good night's sleep also contributes to improving the body's ability to fight cancer. In addition, lack of sleep can offset the positive effects of physical activity.

Regular medical examination

To prevent the occurrence of certain types of cancer, such as breast, colon and uterine cancer, it is recommended to undergo systematic examinations:

mammography (examination of the mammary glands) - every year, starting from the age of 40;
colonoscopy (examination and assessment of the condition of the inner surface of the colon using a special probe) - every 5-10 years starting from the age of 50;
cytological examination of a smear (diagnosis of cervical diseases) - every 2-3 years, starting from the age of 21.

Poisonous smoke

Although there is no “magic pill” for nicotine addiction, there are medications that can help when combined with psychological self-control techniques.

Your helpers in the fight against cigarettes are nicotine replacement drugs:

patch;
chewing gum;
lozenges;
inhaler;
nasal spray;

Additionally, you can use distracting activities at those moments when you feel the urge to smoke - chew gum, brush your teeth or use mouthwash after eating, when most smokers have the urge to smoke.

Preventing the development of skin cancer

Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas (types of skin cancer) are the most common types of cancer. They are treatable and usually do not spread to other parts of the body. However, melanoma is a particularly dangerous type of skin cancer that is often fatal.

There is no such thing as a “healthy tan”. Tanning means that the skin produces more melanin pigment in response to harmful ultraviolet (UV) light.

Although fair-skinned people are more prone to sunburn and other effects of sun damage, everyone, even those who are naturally dark-skinned, is at risk.

And yet, according to research, only 56% of people take precautions against the negative effects of sunlight.

Here are the main ones:

Apply a protectant. Choose products with a broad spectrum of action that do not wash off with water and have a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, apply it 20-30 minutes before going outside.
Choose your clothes carefully. Dark-colored clothing protects more than light-colored clothing; clothing made of thick fabric is preferable to clothing made of light fabric. Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Wear sunglasses. Protect your eyes from sun damage with panoramic sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.
Avoid sunny rush hour. The maximum activity of UV rays is set from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sand, water and snow reflect UV rays, increasing their impact.
Avoid visiting the solarium. Tanning beds and sun lamps are unsafe: UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and contribute to the development of cancer.
Exercise self-control. Examine the skin for the appearance of new moles, freckles and formations; in case of changes and the appearance of new formations on the skin, contact a dermatologist.

Most cancers are highly treatable if detected early.

Breast cancer prevention

Pomegranate has increased in popularity in recent years as a rich source of certain vitamins and antioxidants. It contains compounds that prevent the growth of breast cancer. These compounds work as blockers of the action of aromatase, an enzyme that plays a major role in the development of most types of breast cancer.

Specialists from the European Medical Center for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer make the following recommendations:

Avoid excess body weight. Obesity increases the risk of developing breast cancer after menopause;
Eat healthy foods. Eat a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits and small amounts of sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates and fat-containing foods.
Lead a physically active lifestyle. The preventive effect is achieved with moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes (for example, walking) five times a week.
Give up alcohol and cigarettes. The maximum allowable dose is one drink per day, regardless of the type of alcohol.
Beware of hormone replacement therapy. “Bioidentical hormones” and hormonal creams and gels are just as unsafe as regular hormonal products, so you should avoid using them as well.
Breastfeed your baby for as long as possible. Women who breastfeed their children for at least a year have lower rates of developing breast cancer in the future.

Prevention of lung cancer

Screening programs designed to detect lung cancer at an early stage in people at high risk of developing the disease are the most effective means of prevention.

The main target audience for lung cancer prevention is smokers and former smokers. They have the highest risk of lung cancer. These people may benefit most from early detection of cancer through screening and early chemoprophylaxis.

Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer is a complex process that requires the skill and experience of many specialists from different fields of medicine. But the effectiveness of treatment and its result largely depend on the patient himself, on his attitude to the disease, on strict adherence to all the recommendations and instructions of the attending physician.

Article by David Icke on cancer

We bring to your attention a translation of an article by David Icke, the original of which in English you can find on the website davidicke.com

The numbers are, of course, impressive.

Eight million people die every year from cancer worldwide, more than half a million in the United States alone.

The expected increase in deaths by 2030 is 12 million.

Cancer is the most common cause of death in the age group under 85 years of age. In the United States, every fourth person dies from this disease. Every fourth!

We lost many of our freedoms when we agreed to be “protected from terrorism,” and people continue to get sick and die from illnesses that elite families and their pharmaceutical cartels refuse to treat.

I already reported in my August 9 newsletter that one Dr. Richard Day, head of the Rockefeller-controlled eugenics organization Planned Parenthood, spoke to doctors in 1969 in Pittsburgh, telling them about the coming transformation of global society.

He asked the doctors to turn off their recording devices and not take notes while he read out a long list of planned measures to change global society. But one of the doctors nevertheless wrote down what they were preparing for us as part of this social engineering project, and then made this information public.

Now, 40 years later, we can see firsthand how accurate Richard Day's predictions turned out to be. You can read this on my website in the newsletter for August 9th. Why do I mention this fact? Because at that conference in 1969, Richard Day said: “We can now cure any type of cancer. All information is contained in the Rockefeller Foundation and can be made public if there is an appropriate decision.”

Day said in particular that if people slowly die “from cancer or from something else,” then this could slow down the rate of population growth... These people do this because they completely lack a soul.

The pharmaceutical business does not aim to cure cancer. Why cure a disease if you can download money for fighting the symptoms. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to tell gullible patients that the poisons of chemotherapy kill both cancer and healthy cells, and as a result the person himself. I think this is not even being done for the sake of money... The elite wants to reduce the population, therefore, people need to suffer and die ahead of time.

Tullio Simoncini believes that cancer is an overgrowth of Candida fungus and that the traditional explanation of the nature of cancer is completely wrong. Being himself a specialist in the field of oncology and metabolic disorders, he went against the intellectual conformism of traditional medicine, against traditional methods of “treating” the global cancer epidemic. He decided to tell his patients the truth, and not repeat phrases he had learned by heart in medical school.

From the moment he began practicing medicine, Simoncini realized that cancer was being treated somehow incorrectly: “I saw how much people were suffering. In the children's oncology department where I worked, all the children died. “Everything inside me sank at the sight of the poor kids dying from chemotherapy and radiation.”.

His desire to help patients led him to search for new ways to treat this disease. Simoncini decided to throw away everything he knew about oncology and begin his own independent research.

He discovered that all types of cancer behaved the same way, regardless of the organ or tissue in which the tumor formed. All malignant neoplasms were white. Simoncini began to think about what a cancerous tumor looked like. Candida fungus? Is what traditional medicine considers uncontrolled cell division really a process initiated by the body itself to protect against candidiasis (thrush)?

Based on this assumption, the development of the disease proceeds according to the following scenario:

The candida fungus, usually controlled by a strong immune system, begins to multiply in a weakened body and forms a kind of “colony”.

When an organ becomes infected with thrush, the immune system tries to protect it from foreign invasion.

Immune cells build a protective barrier from body cells. This is what traditional medicine calls cancer.

It is believed that the spread of metastases throughout the body is the spread of “malignant” cells throughout organs and tissues. But Simoncini argues that metastases are caused by the candida fungus spreading throughout the body. And fungi can only destroy cells of a normally functioning immune system. The immune system is the key to recovery.

Every year the number of cancer cases increases. Isn't this a well-planned war against human immunity, a war that is becoming more and more fierce?

The immune system is weakened by foods, food additives, pesticides and herbicides, vaccinations, electromagnetic and microwave technologies, pharmaceuticals, the stress of modern life, etc.

Children under two years of age receive about 25 vaccinations. But at this time, immunity is just being formed!

The Illuminati's plan is mass depopulation through weakening the immune system. What turns off the immune system the fastest? Chemotherapy. Add radiotherapy to this. Today, these are the most effective methods for destroying body cells.

The most modern generally accepted “treatment” of oncology is based on the postulate (a postulate is a position that, without being proven, is accepted as true due to theoretical or practical necessity) that cancer cells will be killed earlier than the patient’s healthy cells.

Toxic compounds in chemotherapy kill cells of the immune system. But candida isn’t going anywhere.

The debris of the immune system is unable to keep candida cells under control. The fungus moves to other organs and tissues. Cancer spreads throughout the body. Those who seemed to have recovered after surgery and chemotherapy simply received a ticking time bomb.

The immune system is destroyed. The appearance of relapses is a matter of time. In other words: chemotherapy kills the people it is supposed to cure.

Chemotherapy only treats a sexually transmitted infection called life. In order to cure cancer, we need to strengthen our immune system, not weaken it.

When Simoncini realized that the cancer was fungal in nature, he began looking for an effective fungicide. But then it became clear to him that antifungal drugs did not work. Candida quickly mutates and adapts to the drug so much that it even begins to feed on it.

The only thing left is an old, proven, cheap and accessible remedy for fungal infections - sodium bicarbonate. The main ingredient is baking soda. For some reason, the fungus cannot adapt to sodium bicarbonate. Simoncini's patients drink a soda solution or have sodium bicarbonate injected directly onto the tumor using an endoscope-like device (a long tube used to view internal organs).

In 1983, Simoncini treated an Italian named Gennaro Sangermano, whom doctors predicted would die within a few months from lung cancer. After a short time, this man was completely cured. The cancer has disappeared.

Encouraged by his success with other patients, Simoncini presented his data to the Italian Ministry of Health, hoping that they would begin clinical trials to test how his method worked. Imagine Simoncini's surprise when the Italian medical establishment not only did not review his research, but also stripped him of his medical license for treating patients with drugs that were not approved.

The media began a campaign against Simoncini, ridiculing him personally and slandering his method. And soon this talented doctor went to prison for three years for allegedly “killing his patients.” Simoncini was surrounded on all sides.

The medical establishment has said the sodium bicarbonate treatment for cancer is “crazy” and “dangerous”. At a time when millions of patients are dying painful deaths from “proven” and “safe” chemotherapy, doctors continue to ban sodium bicarbonate treatments. They don't care about people.

Fortunately, Tullio Simoncini was not intimidated. He continued his work. Now they know about him by hearsay and thanks to the Internet.

This doctor works wonders and treats even the most advanced cases of oncology with simple and cheap sodium bicarbonate. In some cases, procedures last for months, and in others (for example, for breast cancer) - only a few days.

Often, Simoncini simply tells people what they need to do over the phone or via email. He is not even personally present during the treatment and still the result exceeds all expectations.

But that's not all.

Cancer cells contain a unique biomarker, the enzyme CYP1B1. Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. CYP1B1 modifies the chemical structure of a substance called salvestrol, which is found in many fruits and vegetables. A chemical reaction converts salvestrol into a component that kills cancer cells without harming healthy ones.

The CYP1B1 enzyme is produced only in cancer cells and reacts with salvestrol from fruits and vegetables to form a substance that only kills cancer cells!

Salvestrol- a natural defense found in fruits and vegetables to fight fungi. The more susceptible a plant is to fungal diseases, the more salvestrol they contain. These fruits and vegetables include: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, black currants, red currants, blackberries, cranberries, apples, peaches, green vegetables (broccoli and any other cabbage), artichokes, red and yellow peppers, avocado, asparagus and eggplants.

But agribusiness and pharmaceutical companies know this. And this is what they do:

They produce chemical fungicides that kill fungi and prevent the plant from forming a natural defense (salvestrol) in response to a fungal disease. Salvestrol is contained only in fruits that have not been treated with chemical fungicides.

The most common fungicides block the production of CYP1B1. Therefore, if you eat chemically processed fruits and vegetables, you will not get any health benefits.

Do you still think that all this happens by chance?! Do you think that they wanted to lime Tullio Simoncini by mistake?! Families want to see people die from cancer and not have any medicine stop it. They are mentally and emotionally sick and believe that people are cattle.

All your suffering is indifferent to them. On the contrary, the more, the better. They're not completely sane.

It’s good that the “psycho” Simoncini continues to treat people, because in the world of “normal” millions of patients continue to die from incorrect treatment, which, in turn, is based on incorrect postulates.

Thanks to people like him for giving hope in this upside down world run by crazy families. We need people like him!

IMHO, fungi begin to multiply in the body when a person experiences oxidative stress. The stress that Luc Montagnier spoke about and which supposedly leads to AIDS. So, it’s all about the acid-base balance of the body...

Concern about the situation in oncology and increased attention to it are due to the steady increase in cancer incidence throughout the world, which will continue to increase in the foreseeable future.

Prevention of cancer is an important area of cancer control, and according to experts, up to 80% of the causes and risk factors for cancer can be eliminated.

Let's consider 2 main types of cancer prevention - primary, secondary. Primary prevention is aimed at identifying and eliminating the influence of unfavorable environmental factors on the process of the occurrence of a malignant tumor. First of all, this is the complete elimination or minimization of contact with carcinogens. Secondary prevention is aimed at identifying and eliminating precancerous diseases and identifying malignant tumors in the early stages of the process through regular medical examination and examination.

Primary prevention

When sorting out the main causes of cancer incidence, the leading position is occupied by unhealthy diet (up to 35%), the second place belongs to smoking (up to 32%). Next in decreasing order of importance are viral infections (up to 10%), sexual factors (up to 7%), sedentary lifestyle (up to 5%), occupational carcinogens (up to 4%), alcoholism (up to 3%), direct environmental pollution (up to 2%); cancer-related heredity (up to 1%); food additives, ultraviolet radiation from the sun and ionizing radiation (up to 1%). Thus, 2/3 of cancer cases are caused by the first two factors - poor diet and smoking.

Nutrition. There are 6 basic principles of an anti-cancer diet, adherence to which can significantly reduce the risk of developing cancer:

1. Prevention of obesity (excess weight is a risk factor for the development of many malignant tumors, including breast cancer and uterine cancer).

2. Reducing fat consumption (with normal physical activity, no more than 50-70 g of fat per day with all foods). Epidemiological studies have established a direct connection (!) between excess fat consumption and the incidence of breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.

3. The obligatory presence of vegetables and fruits in food provides the body with plant fiber, vitamins and substances that have an anti-carcinogenic effect. These include: yellow and red vegetables containing carotene (carrots, tomatoes, radishes, etc.); fruits containing large amounts of vitamin C (citrus fruits, kiwi, etc.); cabbage (especially broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts); garlic and onion.

4. Regular and sufficient consumption of plant fiber (up to 35 g daily), which is found in whole grains of cereals, as well as in vegetables and fruits. Plant fiber binds a number of carcinogens and reduces the time of their contact with the intestines by improving its motility.

5. Limit alcohol consumption. It is known that alcohol is a risk factor for the development of cancer of the oral cavity, esophagus, liver and breast.

6. Limiting the consumption of smoked and nitrite-containing foods. As is known, a significant amount of carcinogens is contained in smoked food. As for nitrites, they are found in sausages and are still often used by manufacturers for coloring in order to give products a marketable appearance (i.e., they give a pink color). Research has revealed that during heat treatment of products containing sodium nitrite, the carcinogen “N-nitrosamine” is formed. Nitrosamines most often lead to cancer of the liver, esophagus, respiratory system, and kidneys. An experiment on animals showed that there is a direct connection (!) between the occurrence of tumors and the amount of nitroso compounds entering the body, and low single doses add up and become dangerous when repeated. A connection has also been identified between frequent consumption of meat containing nitrites and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) published an assessment of the overall impact of dietary guidelines on cancer prevention based on systematic reviews. The consumption of fruits and non-starchy vegetables has the greatest preventive effect on reducing the risk of developing cancer. In particular, it has been proven that sufficient consumption of them reduces the likelihood of developing cancer of the oral cavity, esophagus and stomach. Consumption of fruits, but not non-starchy vegetables, was also significantly associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer. A number of studies have also found a link between excess fat and red meat consumption and the risk of colon cancer.

Smoking. Numerous scientific studies have established a strong connection between tobacco consumption and cancer. In particular, epidemiological studies have proven that cigarette smoking is a causative factor in the development of cancer of the lung, oral cavity, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, stomach, cervix and acute myeloid leukemia. At the same time, convincing data have been obtained that an increase in the prevalence of smoking among the population entails an increase in mortality from cancer and, conversely, a decrease in the prevalence of smoking reduces the mortality rate from lung cancer in men. According to the Ministry of Health of Russia, in the Russian Federation every year about 300 thousand working-age people do not live about five years of their lives due to tobacco consumption, while economic losses amount to almost 1.5 trillion rubles. Quitting smoking leads to a gradual reduction in the risk of developing cancer, an increase in life expectancy, and a decrease in overall morbidity and mortality.

Infections. Infection with a high-risk strain of human papillomavirus (HPV) (types 16, 18, 31, 33) is considered a necessary event for the subsequent development of cervical cancer, and HPV vaccination in girls leads to a marked reduction in precancerous lesions. Other infectious agents that cause cancer include hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus (liver cancer), Epstein-Barr virus (Burkitt lymphoma), and Helicobacter pylori (stomach cancer). Vaccination against HPV and hepatitis B is recommended as an active preventive measure for people at risk.

Ionizing and ultraviolet radiation. Exposure to radiation, primarily ultraviolet radiation and ionizing radiation, is a well-established cause of cancer. Exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation is the leading cause of skin cancer (excluding melanoma), which is by far the most common and most preventable cancer. Exposure to the sun is most dangerous between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Staying in solariums to obtain an artificial tan is no less harmful. Avoiding direct sunlight on bare areas of the body, wearing appropriate summer clothing, wide-brimmed hats, umbrellas, staying in the shade, and using sunscreen are effective measures to prevent skin cancer.

Alcohol. The most significant effect of excess alcohol consumption on the development of oral, esophageal and colon cancer in men. A similar connection, although to a lesser extent, was found between alcohol intake and the risk of developing liver, breast and colon cancer in women.

Physical activity. Increasing evidence suggests that people who are physically active have a lower risk of developing certain cancers than those who are physically inactive and sedentary. The largest and most significant protective effect of physical activity was found on the risk of developing colon cancer, and to a somewhat lesser extent on the risk of developing breast and endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women. The problem of the influence of physical activity on the development of cancer is far from being resolved, but it is quite clear that it plays a significant role in the process of oncogenesis.

Obesity. Today, obesity is increasingly recognized as an important risk factor for cancer. Its connection with the development of postmenopausal breast cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, endometrial and kidney cancer has been convincingly proven. There is evidence that obesity is a risk factor for the development of gallbladder cancer.

Secondary prevention

You should definitely consult a doctor if you are concerned about the following complaints:

1) if a pigment spot, mole or formation on the skin protruding above its surface has changed color, becomes wet, bleeds or causes itching or burning, then in such cases it is necessary to contact a surgeon;

2) If you find white rough plaques on the mucous membrane of the lips, cheeks, gums or tongue that rise above the surrounding surface or there are long-term non-healing cracks and ulcers in the oral cavity, you should contact a surgeon or dentist;

3) All women should regularly examine the mammary glands independently once a month (the examination is carried out as follows - inspect the skin of the mammary glands in front of a mirror, then in a vertical position, use the palmar surface of the index, middle and ring fingers to press the mammary gland to the chest, moving the fingers in a spiral to the nipple) and if you find cracks, weeping, crusts, retraction of the nipple or skin resembling a lemon peel, as well as compactions in the gland tissue, you should contact a surgeon;

4) If you find blood or pus in the stool or its color is black as tar, you should immediately contact a surgeon;

5) You should also contact a surgeon if you have been bothered by abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, sudden weight loss and causeless weakness for a long time.

As for screening studies, then:

1) If you are a man over 50 years old, you need to donate blood once a year in the surgeon’s office for the tumor marker PSA (prostate-specific antigen), which will detect prostate cancer;

2) If you are a woman aged 21 to 69 years, then once every 3 years you need to undergo a cytological examination of the cervix with a gynecologist;

3) All women over 40 years old should undergo a mammogram once a year. Regular screening mammography alone, with its ability to detect very small tumors, has been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality by 20-25%.

4) All persons, with the exception of pregnant women and children under 15 years of age, must undergo fluorography once a year. This low-dose x-ray research method, carried out on a large scale, is capable of detecting lung cancer at an early stage in addition to tuberculosis;

5) All persons over 40 years of age are subject to undergo an ultrasound examination of the abdominal and pelvic organs once every 6 years.

Regular preventive examinations, examinations and careful monitoring of yourself can prevent the occurrence of a malignant tumor or identify the disease at an early stage.

Even the luminaries of our medicine, Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov and Nikolai Aleksandrovich Semashko, said that “it is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it.”

And remember that cancer is a curable disease, especially if it is detected at an early stage!

Health to you and your loved ones!