Is cancer contagious: digging up the soil of oncomyths. Is skin cancer transmitted How is cancer transmitted?

Many will say that the theory that you can get cancer is absurd. But not everything is as simple as it seems. When a person is faced with oncology, first of all he experiences fear of the disease. An important role in this issue is played by the poor awareness of citizens.

No oncologist can answer your question - what is the cause of cancer? Hence the desire of each person to protect himself to the maximum. And not infrequently even family members of a sick person are protected from it.

But, in this case, scientists can say with confidence that a malignant tumor is not transmitted from a sick person. Medical personnel working in oncology hospitals do not get cancer more often than people in other professions.

As mentioned earlier, due to the unknown exact cause of cancer, doctors cannot prevent the disease. The only hope for early diagnosis of cancerous tumors.

The disease is caused by spontaneous cell mutation, genetic predisposition, chemical or radioactive exposure. There is a theory that cancer is of viral origin, but it is negligible. As far back as the 1940s, the virologist Lev Zilber, while studying cancer cells, argued that viral particles are present only in the early stages of the disease. But cancer cells grow without the intervention of viruses. Oncovirus carriers are extremely rare, and only 0.1% of them have cancer, and then only if there are predisposing factors.

To date, scientists can name several types of viruses that indirectly affect the development of cancer in humans:

- HPV (human papillomavirus). It spreads through intimacy, in rare cases by contact (through microcracks or rashes on the labia).
– Hepatitis B and C viruses. These viruses cause liver cancer in 80% of cases. But not because of the virus. Its spread leads to cirrhosis of the organ, and this in turn disrupts cell growth.
- Epstein-Barr virus, transmission route - human saliva. This virus is present in most of the world's population. The mechanism of development of cancer cells in the Epstein-Barr virus is not fully understood.
- The human herpes virus type 8 is also not fully understood. Most often it is associated with such a phenomenon as AIDS. Due to weakened immunity, the human body is not able to resist even the common cold. In this case, cancer is not ruled out. But it is not directly related to the herpes virus or AIDS.
- Human T-cell leukemia virus. This virus is extremely rare. Ways of transmission - blood transfusion, sexual contact, breastfeeding.

Factors affecting the appearance of a malignant tumor

Thus, it is not possible to get cancer through blood or any other way. There are a number of factors that contribute to the development of the disease:

Age. After the age of 45, the incidence of cancer increases exponentially. Therefore, upon reaching this period, you should undergo an annual medical examination and donate blood for tumor markers.

Having bad habits. People who smoke are at risk of getting lung cancer, and alcohol provokes the development of a cancerous tumor in the mouth and esophagus.

Bad ecology. According to statistics, cancer patients are more common in industrial areas with chemical plants.

Food. Cancer of the uterus, ovaries, and breasts is more common in women who abuse fatty foods. If the diet lacks fiber, then over time there is a risk of developing colon cancer.

Hormonal background. Here, the level of estrogen plays an important role, with a high level of it, the development of breast cancer is possible.

Low physical activity. Cancer tumors in sedentary people are observed more often.

genetic predisposition. This may be due to a genetically reduced level of immunity.
Remember that all cancerous tumors have their own distinctive features that must be recognized as early as possible, then the treatment will be positive.

Is cancer transmitted through blood?

To prove a refutation on this point, the following experiment was carried out in 2007: Doctors at the Swedish University conducted a blood transfusion analysis from 1968 to 2002. Later, 3% of donors turned out to have cancer. But, not a single recipient who received blood from them developed cancer. Thus, it was proved that a malignant tumor cannot be transmitted through the blood.

Cancer is not contagious. A malignant formation cannot be transmitted by airborne droplets, sexually or through the blood.

The tumor process is individual, it cannot be "transplanted" to another person, since the immune system will reject the foreign material.

The main symptoms of cancer

In order to recognize an oncological disease as early as possible and start diagnosing the disease, it is necessary to know the symptoms of the disease that unite all cancer processes:

Weight loss. This is the first sign that something is wrong in the body.
Increase in body temperature. This indicates the influence of cancer cells on the human immune system. The body fights the infection and the body temperature rises.
Fast fatiguability. Weakness in a person does not appear immediately, but as cancer cells grow.
Chronic constipation or loose stools, as well as a change in the color of feces, indicates the possible presence of a malignant process in the large intestine.
Soreness during urination, the presence of blood in the urine.
Prolonged healing of wounds or ulcers.
Discharge with blood or pus. For example, if a person has hemoptysis, this indicates lung cancer, if bleeding is observed from the vagina, then the oncological process occurs in the cervix, blood from the nipple indicates breast cancer.
The appearance of seals in a certain part of the body.
Difficulty in swallowing.
Changing the color and shape of moles.
A hoarse voice may indicate oncology of the thyroid gland or throat.
Decreased appetite.
Bad breath.

All these signs may indicate cancerous processes, so in order not to start the disease, seek medical help in time. Even if oncology has not been detected, timely diagnosis will help to avoid the development of other diseases.

Diagnostics

CT (computed tomography)). This examination allows you to distinguish a benign tumor from a malignant tumor.
Mammography. A mammograph is an x-ray machine that examines a woman's breasts.
radioisotope scanning is carried out to detect a neoplasm, its spread or to identify the results of the treatment.
MRI. The advantage of magnetic resonance imaging is that it does not irradiate a person as with x-rays.
Ultrasound procedure.
Tumor markers. These are indicators, with an increased level of them, we can talk about a cancerous process in the body.

Speaking about the transmission of cancer, it is also necessary to mention bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori, which, once in the human body, begin to irritate the gastric mucosa, leading to its gradual damage, which can eventually cause gastritis or ulcers, as well as an oncological process. The bacterium is transmitted from person to person and indirectly affects the development of stomach cancer.

Many people are interested in the question - “is lung cancer contagious?”, Or “is blood cancer transmitted?”, As they say, “How many people, so many opinions”, and that is why there are many myths about what an oncological disease like cancer can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person.

In fact, scientists in the field of oncology have repeatedly refuted these rumors about the transmission of this virus.

Is it possible to get cancer from a sick person? Can an infected person infect a healthy person? The answer is NO!

Cancer is by nature a virus, but it is not contagious.

How is cancer transmitted?

The answer to this question has already been given, but the transmission of cancer is still possible. No matter how sad it may sound, this disease can be inherited. Scientists have identified many cases of cancer transmission at the gene level, which amounted to a figure in 95% of all cases. In most cases, breast cancer is transmitted in women.

In other ways, cancer is not transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one, but this infection is a virus, but it also occurs inside the body and not from the outside.

There is an opinion of doctors that cancer can be transmitted from a patient to a healthy one through a kiss, or rather through saliva. If a loved one has problems with the stomach, then it is likely that he can become infected from the patient.

Cancer is a viral disease, but it is not transmitted:

Nor sexually
Not by airborne droplets
Not by household way (cannot be transmitted by contact with the patient)
Not through blood

The opinion that this oncological disease can be transmitted appeared on the network after the publication of erroneous research data by scientists in which cancer viruses were found in animals, and they could be transmitted to another individual by infection. A person does not have these viruses, since we are very different from animals at the biological level, and also the oncological specificity in animals differs from human ones.

What can trigger the development of cancer cells in the body?

Cancer cells can form both from birth and at any age, but according to statistics, upon reaching the age of 40-45, the occurrence of the disease increases by 3-5 times. Approaching old age contributes to the deterioration of the immune system, and thus the risk of getting cancer increases.

The presence of a common bad habit like smoking contributes to the occurrence of cancer cells in the lungs. A person who has abused cigarettes, smoking two packs a day, can get sick in a couple of years. Naturally, the period of the disease will depend on the state of the smoker's immunity.

Ecology also plays a role in the formation of cancer cells. Nowadays, more and more cars appear on the roads, and we breathe exhaust gases every day. Many industrial zones are developing in the same way. And do not forget about radioactive zones, radiation radiation can contribute to the development of the disease much faster than anything else.

Symptoms of the formation of cancer cells

It is extremely difficult to detect manifestations of a tumor without a complete medical examination, cancer usually manifests itself at the last stage of development, BUT it is still possible to detect it.

Tumor formation can lead to a number of possible specific and non-specific symptoms:

Wounds do not heal for a long time
The appearance of blood in the stool
Unusual discharge from the breasts and genitals
Changing the color, size and shape of moles
Intense weight loss
Dry cough for a long time, shortness of breath

In fact, these symptoms show how unhealthy the state of the body is, but this can also be a wake-up call for examination for the development of cancer cells.

What tests need to be done?

A person who did not have any of the listed symptoms cannot be sure of the absence of a developing disease. To check your body, you need to diagnose the body, visit an oncologist and take tests, namely:

Get a Fluoroscopy
Get an Electrocardiogram
Perform a CT scan
Get checked out by a gynecologist (for women)

There are also more accurate definitions of the development of a tumor in the body:

Fibroesophagastroduodenoscopy - the most accurate method for determining the formation of cancer in the stomach
Colonoscopy - to determine the development of cancer in the rectum
Bronchoscopy - determination of the presence of cancer in the lungs, sputum examination
Cytological examination of the cervical smear, a more accurate examination to determine cancer in women.

What to do in case of an ailment?

It can happen to anyone that cancer cells begin to develop. And the first thought will be for everyone that - "That's it, this is the end."

No, in the early stages, cancer can be defeated, and you should never give up.

The first thing to do is to get rid of thoughts about the “end” from your head, think only about a good outcome and say every day to yourself looking into your eyes through the mirror “I will be healthy!”. This is undoubtedly difficult, but it will have to be done, since our brain is the center of our entire body, suggestion to oneself helps to recover. This method was proven by Dr. J. D. Frank from the American Johns Hopkins University, he was able to cure cancer patients with this method, without the intervention of surgery and chemotherapy, 176 people.
If you have any bad habits, like to drink alcohol, if you get sick, immediately exclude it. The body will need all the strength and common sense in the fight against such a strong illness.
We are changing our lifestyle. No fatty foods, fast foods, soda with dye, and the like. Exceptional nutrition. Healthy sleep - wake up at 7:00, lights out at 23:00. Charging every day, 100 push-ups and sit-ups per day are enough.
We start taking baking soda. Soda was initially taken by patients for prevention, 1/3 tablespoon per glass of water on an empty stomach 30 minutes before meals. Thus, you help cleanse the body of toxins.
And last but not least. YOU need to DECIDE for YOURSELF to STRONGLY FIGHT this disease. Don't give up and believe in yourself.

About those who are sick cancer It's always hard to talk. Despite the fact that today the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has become many times better, the number of patients with advanced stages of cancer remains high. Unfortunately, many people do not take care of their health and go to the doctor late, and when the process goes far, neither surgery, nor radiation therapy, nor chemistry can help. Oncologists discharge such patients home, recommending symptomatic therapy at home under the supervision of a district therapist.

All the gravity caring for cancer patients in this case falls on family members. The most important thing in caring for the sick is pain relief, which is not always so easy to provide. In addition, cancer patients develop metastases in the bones of the spine and joints, which is why many of them are bedridden and cannot even turn around on their own. Caring for a cancer patient requires great patience and physical strength from relatives.

In some families for care a nurse is hired for cancer patients, and they themselves try to stay away from the patient in order to protect themselves and their children from possible infection with this dangerous disease. With such an attitude of relatives around the suffering patient, a kind of vacuum is created, he is shunned, isolated and children and grandchildren are not allowed to approach him. Meanwhile, there is no evidence that a cancer patient can infect other people.

Relatives and friends can fear care for cancer patients, surrounding him with attention, care and warmth, which he now needs so much. The tension and anxiety of family members is easily transmitted to the patient. The benevolent attitude of close people, combined with the right medicines, can greatly improve the physical condition of a seriously ill cancer patient.

In the history of medical practices there has not been a single case where doctors, nurses from oncology departments or relatives who cared for a cancer patient themselves contracted this disease from them. A cancer patient is not contagious, simple contacts with him and communication do not pose any danger. But there are some types of viruses that can trigger the development of cancer in people with weak immunity. So kissing with a stomach cancer patient is undesirable if you suffer from an ulcer or gastritis of the stomach.

Scientists have proven that stomach cancer causes a microbe called Helicobacter pylori, which lives in the stomach of each of us. For a healthy gastric mucosa, Helicobacter pylori does not pose any danger, and at the site of a long inflammation, they provoke cancer. These microbes can be transmitted by kissing, so people suffering from stomach diseases have a high risk of developing a malignant tumor.

To date, it is known that viruses Hepatitis C and B play a role in the development of liver cancer. As you know, liver cancer occurs against the background of cirrhosis of the liver, which is promoted by hepatitis B and C viruses. From the moment of infection with the hepatitis virus and the development of liver cancer, 10 to 20 years pass. The hepatitis virus can be transmitted through blood or sexual contact. Therefore, be careful when injecting and treating wounds in patients with liver cancer if they have hepatitis viruses.

Numerous papillomas on the body is a signal that a person’s immunity is weakened and the risk of exacerbation of HPV is high. According to the results of scientific research, every third woman on the planet becomes infected with HPV three months after the onset of sexual activity. It is this virus that causes cervical cancer, but this does not mean that all women infected with HPV will inevitably develop cancer.

human papillomavirus begins to multiply actively when the immune system stops working normally. Therefore, if harmless papillomas appear on your body, be sure to undergo an annual examination by a gynecologist. HPV is transmitted from person to person through sexual contact, however, cases of infection with the virus through papillomas located on the genitals and microdamages of the skin are known. Condoms do not protect against HPV, because the virus is so small that it freely penetrates through the pores of rubber. If a woman is not infected with the virus, then the risk of developing the cervix is minimized. Therefore, today the vaccine against cervical cancer is actively promoted, which should be done by girls and girls from 10 to 25 years old. Once infected with HPV, it is too late to vaccinate.

Few of us know that in childhood he had been ill virus Epstein-Barr. Meanwhile, 9 people out of 10 get sick with it. A person does not feel any symptoms of the disease after infection with the virus, only in rare cases the Epstein-Barr virus causes a disease similar to angina - mononucleosis, which is characterized by an increase in lymph nodes, enlargement of the spleen and a change in blood composition. Very often, mononucleosis becomes chronic, which greatly increases the chance of malignant tumors of the lymph nodes and nasopharynx. Epstein-Barr virus is transmitted with saliva, it can be found in almost all people. In people with severe immunodeficiency, the active reproduction of these viruses is one of the main reasons for the development of lymphoma.

Cancer is a type of disease in which uncontrolled growth of mutating cells is provided. This is not just a dangerous type of disease, but also fatal, since in most cases, people with grade 3-4 cancer do not live more than 2 years. Knowing the answer to the question of how to get cancer is necessary in order to avoid being infected by this deadly disease in every possible way. Looking ahead, it is worth noting that it is practically impossible for a person to prevent the occurrence of this disease, since the causes of its occurrence are many different factors.

Why do people get cancer

The causes of cancer are very diverse, but scientists have conducted a number of diverse studies, and have come to the conclusion that malignant tumors are formed by disrupting the interaction of cells with each other. As a result of the slightest failures, the formation of stickiness occurs, which contributes to new cells abnormally sticking to one place. Over time, there is an increase in the size of the tumor, as well as the accumulation of abnormal cells in other places of human organs and tissues.

The question of why people get cancer is a fairly common one. Cancers arise due to disturbances in the orderly process of cell division and death. If normal cells in the process of existence tend to be updated, then cancer cells accumulate in the process of life and continue to grow. As a result, there is an accumulation of malignant masses, which become the causes of the death of human organs.

People with cancer are at risk of death, especially if the disease is not diagnosed in a timely manner. How quickly a tumor is detected depends on the effectiveness of treatment and the life expectancy of a person. Every year, about 8 million people die from the process of metastasis (the spread of cancer cells throughout the body). Moreover, this information refers to deaths that provoke a primary tumor.

How to get cancer

Now let's look at the main ways to get cancer. These bad tips in the material are not presented at all so that a person knows how to shorten his life, but, on the contrary, to eliminate the reasons for contracting cancer. People get cancer as a result of exposure to factors that are described below.

Sedentary lifestyle

Getting a deadly disease is not difficult if a person lies on the couch all day and does nothing. The less mobile a person is, the higher the likelihood of stagnant processes. With a sedentary lifestyle, blood circulation slows down, as well as lymph stagnation.

It's important to know! Lymph consists of lymphocytes, which act as the main defenders of the body against the occurrence of cancerous tumors. The slower the movement of lymph through the body, the higher the likelihood of cancer.

To speed up the movement of lymph in the body, one should resort to doing physical exercises and maintaining an active and mobile lifestyle.

radioactive radiation

If a person has set himself the goal of earning cancer, then this can be done through frequent visits to solariums, which have recently become very popular and in demand in winter. The disadvantage of solariums is the fact that they have radiation that can provoke the development of cancerous tumors.

In addition to visiting solariums, you can also earn a tumor through frequent tanning under the rays of the scorching sun. Of course, a summer tan is very beautiful, but also deadly, especially if you get carried away with such a process every day.

It's important to know! Radioactive radiation contributes to the development of skin cancer, which is almost impossible to cure.

Living near power lines

Living in places near power lines is a great way to grow a tumor. Living near transformers has a particularly negative effect on health. These devices have a high degree of electromagnetic radiation, which contributes to the development of brain cancer.

Air pollution is also not good for health, so living on the streets near highways negatively affects human health. If a person's job involves chemicals, then this is also a great way to get cancer quickly. In this case, cancer develops mainly in the respiratory organs.

Use of microwave devices

Microwave ovens, which are used to heat food, have gained great popularity in the life of a modern person. Microwave rays have a negative impact on human health, so if a person planned to get cancer, then he needs to stand near the microwave when it is turned on.

X-rays are also analogues of microwave radiation, which contribute to the development of cancerous tumors in the body. In order to eliminate the negative impact, it is recommended to undergo an x-ray once every six months. Waves from phones, computers and other modern gadgets, including electrical appliances, no less negatively affect a person.

Eat only cooked foods

Why, you say, is it necessary to eat boiled food? Although boiled vegetables and fruits do not contain pathogenic bacteria, they also lack useful vitamins and minerals. An excess of these substances will necessarily lead to a weakening of the immune system, and the development of a tumor.

Stop drinking water

Water, as everyone knows, is the source of life. A person is 70% water, so its lack will necessarily lead to the formation of tumor processes. However, as practice shows, if a person refuses water, he will soon die of dehydration.

If you are afraid to die from dehydration, then modern drinks will help 100% provoke a cancerous tumor: Coca-Cola, Sprite and the like. Of particular danger to humans are also energy drinks, which affect not only the heart, but also the body as a whole.

It's important to know! Modern drinks have a negative effect on the body by reducing the mobility of lymphocytes to zero.

promiscuous sex life

How can you get or is a matter of time. It is enough to have a promiscuous sex life to become infected with venereal diseases, which eventually help to develop tumors.

Viruses that enter the body through sexual contact are the best companions of cancer. These are viruses such as papillomavirus, genital herpes, hepatitis C and others. It is also important to pay attention to the use of B and C vitamins, which are dangerous for humans in large quantities. These vitamins in excess contribute to the active reproduction of the tumor, so do not overdo it if you do not want to get sick. Never use dietary supplements if you want to provoke a cancerous tumor.

Taking various medications

Sick people very often self-medicate, especially with the help of antibiotics. Their frequent and unintentional use contributes to the imbalance of microorganisms. An imbalance leads to a decrease in the protective function of the body, as a result of which a cancerous tumor may occur.

Consuming food from supermarkets

After the appearance of food in supermarkets, the number of cancers has increased significantly. Of particular danger to the human body are preservatives such as E125, E510, E513 and E527.

Stop eating natural foods

If you eat only products that are grown in greenhouses with the use of herbicides and chemical fertilizers, then this will lead to active tumor growth. Most producers of vegetables and fruits grow them with the use of special fertilizers that contribute to the active growth of fruits. However, these substances are dangerous to humans.

Bad habits

Smoking and drinking is the best way to ruin your life. In addition to the fact that these bad habits negatively affect the functioning of almost all organs and systems, they also provoke the development of tumors over time.

Sugar consumption

The best fertilizer for rapid tumor growth is white sugar. It is difficult to imagine a person who would not consume sugar. If a person wants to disturb his health, then you need to use sugar, instead of honey and fruit sugar.

It's important to know! Studies have shown that tumors feed on the glucose found in white sugar.

drink coffee

People who drink 3 or more cups of coffee a day are also infected with cancer. The body of women who like to enjoy coffee drinks is especially prone to cancer. Coffee is very active in the development of breast cancer.

Stop breastfeeding children

If a woman after childbirth refuses to teach her baby to breastfeed, then this is harmful not only for the child, but also for her. After all, if the child does not suckle the breast, then the accumulation of breast milk will cause serious complications, including the occurrence of a tumor.

Avoid protein foods

If you want to cause inflammation in the form of cancerous tumors, then give up protein foods. It is useful only for those who wish to be always healthy. Protein food is rich in amino acids, which act as a building material for the formation of lymphocytes.

The following factors also contribute to the development of cancer:

The use of vegetable oil in large quantities.
Frequent stress and nervous breakdowns.
Lack of massage and relaxation of the body.
Use of fluoride toothpastes.
The use of cosmetic preparations.
Eat smoked meats and fried foods.
The use of table salt, as well as vinegar, chips and other types of food from fast foods.

Bisphenol, a carcinogenic substance, promotes the development of cancer, so you should not get carried away with food from disposable tableware. It is especially dangerous to eat hot dishes from disposable dishes.
In conclusion, it should be noted that the above are only the main factors that contribute to the occurrence of cancer. In fact, there are many more. It is almost impossible to exclude them all, so the only way to prevent the development of pathology is to regularly visit the hospital for examinations.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death and leads in the number of speculations that circulate around it. This prevents both patients and doctors from finding each other in time. Therefore, we decided to launch a new series dedicated to cancer. Every Tuesday, together with doctors who specialize in the treatment of cancer in Chelyabinsk, we will talk about how to recognize this dangerous disease in time, what methods of treatment exist and are used in our hospitals, and, most importantly, how to prevent cancer.

If you have questions about the topic of oncological diseases, if you yourself have encountered this disease or you know daredevils who have overcome it and are ready to talk about their experience, be sure to write to the mail marked “oncological educational program”.

We will ask our secret questions to specialists. Let's be the first to call "to account" and start with the most important question in oncology:

- Where does cancer come from?

- The well-known aphorism in oncology describes the answer to this question very accurately: “Everyone must die from their cancer, but not everyone lives to see it,” Andrey Vladimirovich brings up to date. - This is one of the mechanisms of apoptosis (the process of genetic cell suicide), which is incorporated in the human genetic structure, is registered at the DNA level, the so-called oncogene. When and how it appeared, how it was included is a completely separate issue, but the fact remains that it exists. And under the influence of external factors, it can turn on. These can be carcinogens: chemical, physical, hormonal, hereditary, triggers are different - the mechanism is the same.

It is common to all living beings. Tumors have been reported in humans, jellyfish, fish, worms, snakes, grasshoppers, and all sorts of other reptiles. Anyone who is more complicated than a ciliate shoe can develop tumors. But in wildlife, as a rule, animals are built into the food chain and do not live up to the development of a tumor. Cancer is "outrun" by predators, disease, hunger, injury. And a person lives to that point where cancer becomes a problem. People have suffered from cancer at all times. The great Russian poet Nekrasov died of rectal cancer, and Ivan the Terrible died of cancer of the lower lip with metastases to the lymph nodes of the neck. Traces of oncological diseases were found in Egyptian mummies, and not only in pharaohs, but also in ordinary mortals, so cancer is not a new disease. The successes of medicine let her down: people stopped dying from various kinds of infections, including childhood ones, they began to die less from injuries, wars, from cardiovascular diseases, they began to live longer, and it seems that the oncological problem has appeared recently.

- Can radiation be a trigger for triggering the mechanism of tumor growth?

- Yes, radiation can serve as a trigger, but, according to the observations of radiobiologists, the radiation factor in carcinogenesis is no more than 10-12%. This applies to some isotopes and some types of radiation, but this is not a dominant factor, the specialist is sure. - You need to understand that the background radiation is a normal, natural component of the world around us. It creates material for evolutionary development - the appearance of mutations, from which positive ones are naturally selected and negative ones are cut off. If there were no radiation background, there would not be such a variety of life, everything would stop at amoebas.

A photo: Polina Avdoshina (infographic)

What about the meteorite? Software "Mayak"? Haven't they contributed?

“The meteorite has nothing to do with oncological diseases, by definition, either physically or financially,” emphasizes the chief radiologist of the region. - As for Mayak, in the 80s many speculative copies around this topic were broken, the project for the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Urals was ruined, and the development of the region took a completely different, less promising path. Mayak is by far the most environmentally friendly enterprise in the Chelyabinsk Region, which complies with the most stringent radiation safety standards. Discharges into the Techa River, which really took place at the end of the 40s due to the imperfection of production technology, gave a certain jump in some localizations, but this was leveled out by the ecosystem itself, doctors and the laws of biology long ago. The accident in 1957 in a limited area affected the structure and number of oncological diseases, but now it is all leveled. And now the incidence on the territory of the East Ural radioactive trace is significantly inferior to what we have in megacities - Chelyabinsk, Magnitogorsk. It does not differ in structure: in Ozersk and Snezhinsk, the incidence correlates with age factors, but not with the fact of residence in this territory.

- How does age affect it?

“Many do not like this axiom very much, because it is not sensational: cancer is the fate of the elderly,” the doctor believes. – The incidence of cancer increases in parallel with age. There are quite rare forms of tumors that are congenital in nature, these are tumors in children. There are not many of them - hundreds of times less than in adults. They are of a completely different spectrum, not the same as in adults - these are leukemias, brain tumors, Wilms tumors (nephroblastoma) and some others, but in society, a child’s illness causes more resonance than grandparents. Significant growth begins somewhere after 40–50 years and further exponentially upwards: the older a person becomes, the greater the likelihood of developing cancer.

If everything in the region is bad in health care, and young people die from infections, from tuberculosis at the age of 30-40, remember Chekhov about consumptive young ladies - they definitely weren’t threatened with cancer. If a person died at the age of 40 from a heart attack, then cancer does not threaten him either. If at the age of 30 he got into an accident, received injuries incompatible with life, then he is not threatened with cancer either. But if the modern health care system allows you to survive all these risks, and a person lives to a certain age, then naturally the frequency of oncological diseases, including those leading to death, increases. And this speaks again about the effectiveness of the healthcare system in the region. If we compare “our” incidence in European countries, as they like to contrast, then there it is two to three times higher in those places where people live longer. It is clear that at the age of 90 people get cancer more often than at 50, where they lived to 90 years old - they have stents, and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and effective treatment for diabetes, and so on. But they also have a higher mortality rate from cancer.

In our region, the incidence over the past 15 years has increased one and a half times: from 250 to 400 cases per 100,000 population, and we keep the mortality rate at 200–202 per 100,000, just like 15 years ago. That is, the curves diverge: more and more people get sick, and the same number die, because we are getting better and better at treating. But we are still “bad”, because we have 202, but we need 193, as according to a single standard for all of Russia. This is all about the question of assessing and distorting numbers, even if they are true. It's all about how you use them. And very often these figures are used to manipulate public opinion.

- Is cancer transient? Can you get cancer from a relative?

- Good question, "from the audience"! Andrey Vladimirovich says with a smile. - No, cancer is not transmissible, it is not transmitted sexually, by airborne droplets or by household contact. This does not contradict Professor Zilber's virus theory, which was proposed in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He proved that the so-called oncovirus can serve as a trigger, but it is not contagious by definition. Moreover, in experimental biology, the question of tumor grafting, even in a pure strain of mice, is a difficult laboratory problem. In other words, transplanting cancer from mouse to mouse, which is even genetically absolutely identical, is a very difficult task.

Where does this opinion come from then? Maybe confused with heredity?

“There is biological heredity, and there is heredity of habits, and you should not confuse everything with hereditary diseases,” the specialist notes. - From grandparents, we inherit not only garden plots, garages and photo albums, and even not only the color of hair or eyes. We primarily inherit the characteristics of the hormonal background and the rate of metabolism. And if a mother and grandmother have an increased background of estrogen in the family, then we can talk about an increased risk of developing uterine cancer, breast cancer in her daughter and granddaughter, but not because it is a hereditary disease, but because there is a supposed factor - increased estrogen background. Yes, it is transmitted to a certain extent, but it is not a hereditary disease. In breast cancer and ovarian cancer, the genome is inherited, and this gives a 65% chance of detecting cancer in children, but this is not direct inheritance.

The most important thing is the inheritance of habits. In a family where they are used to eating a lot of fried, dried, baked, sweet, it is clear that men will develop stomach and duodenal cancer more often. Not from heredity, but from habits: grandfather fries and eats barbecue, dad does the same, the son pours mayonnaise and ketchup on everything from the age of three - not a disease, but a habit is inherited. If grandfather and father smoke in the house in the living rooms, and the son breathes all this and starts smoking at the age of seven, relatively speaking, then the risk of developing cancer of the larynx and lip is many times higher than that of a peer with the same genetics, who has such not in the house.

What is remission and cure?

– Well, actually our whole life is a remission. As they joked, life is a chronic disease, sexually transmitted and fatal, the specialist says with a smile. Remission is a period of absence of signs of the disease. It is impossible to draw a correct boundary. A year or two is a remission, and if it lasts 10-15 years, this is already a cure, especially since the probability of a return decreases every year.

– Can cancer be cured?

“Yes, cancer is not an absolutely fatal disease,” the doctor emphasizes. – We can cure, and there are many examples of this. Cancer is curable with proper treatment and observation, because a second cancer may arise, tumors may recur in five, ten years. The conditional statistical limit of cure is five years. After this period, the likelihood of a return of the disease is quite small.

For example, in our oncology clinic, the accumulation contingent approaches 90,000 people and 40,000 in Magnitogorsk. These are people who were treated with us 5-10-15-20 years ago. Now they are absolutely healthy, many of them are public figures and recognizable. But we observe them all the same, because there is a risk of a second tumor - do not confuse, this is not a metastasis and not a relapse - not a primary multiple cancer. A person lives in an urban environment, breathes what he comes from the roads, eats what he bought on the way home, and against the background of one cured tumor, a second and third may appear. There are few such patients - from three to seven percent of the total. A person can get sick with different cancers several times, or all three cancers can occur at the same time.

– Why do people not admit that they were ill and recovered after treatment?

- The degree of recognition of one's cancer - and there are much more serious diseases with a much worse prognosis - is an indicator of the degree of education of the population, the degree of susceptibility to speculation and prejudice, - Andrey Vazhenin is sure. “Unfortunately, in our society, it so happened that if a person occupies an administrative position, and colleagues become aware that he has cancer, then immediately this position begins to be divided and a person survives from the team. A career is often given up. If this is a businessman - they treated him with a nonsense tumor, and that's it - then they begin to pull at his business and so on.

Back in the 80s, I came across the fact that a patient brought a letter in which it was written, they say, Mikolo, since you have cancer and you will die anyway, rewrite your Ural motorcycle as a matchmaker. You don't care, but he needs it. Real stories! And not later than yesterday a woman came, crying - she has the second stage, the prognosis is good, we will treat, and her husband kicked out of the house with the words that she would not infect him. It doesn't matter if a woman has breast cancer.

Another story: laryngeal cancer, the first stage in a man, was cured, and he arrives after a while and says that relatives are building a brick wall at home: it doesn’t matter to you, you are irradiated, but here your wife, children, they need to be protected. And he asks how thick the wall should be and whether it is necessary to put a lead shield there.

Society is sick with fear, not cancer. Reagan had bowel cancer, disappeared for two weeks, and then again, as if nothing had happened, led America, it was regarded as any other disease, on an equal footing, and not something out of the ordinary. Nancy Reagan - breast cancer, successfully treated, long-term president of the American Women's Breast Cancer Survivors Association. Unfortunately, it is still difficult to imagine the same in Russia. This is the level of culture, education and degree of trust in the professionalism of doctors - in America, cancer is treated no better than in Russia. But there it is valued in the literal sense of the word - treatment is expensive, but here everything is the same, but free of charge, and this is not enough, it is not appreciated. What is it?! Only the level of culture.