Often there are no early signs of cancer. However, if a tumor is detected initially, the chance of a full recovery is more than 90%. Oncologist MD Pavel Koposov, deputy director of the European Medical Center (EMC) Institute of Oncology, told socialbites.ca how to detect a tumor in the early stages.
According to the expert, oncological diseases in most cases are already 3-4. It is diagnosed in stages. The only way to detect cancer in the early stages of its development is through screening or incidental findings as part of an examination for other diseases.
“It should be noted that in the last 5-10 years, the situation in early diagnosis of cancer has improved. Citizens have become more responsible for their health. They go through scheduled examinations more often, try to give up bad habits, lead a healthier lifestyle,” stressed the doctor.
The oncologist noted that the most common types of cancer in Russia are: lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer.
“In order to detect these diseases at an early stage, it is necessary to undergo preventive examinations by specialist doctors every year, especially if one of the relatives has had these diseases. For breast cancer – To have annual mammography, For cervical cancer – To be examined by a gynecologist, For prostate cancer – To have PSA taken in men over 40-45 years old, For lung cancer – To have a low-dose CT scan once a month for the year. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when CT scans of patients were everywhere, it was possible to detect quite a lot of cases of lung cancer in the early stages. He saved the lives of many people,” he explained.
In addition, the number of cases with early oncology has increased as patients begin to conduct more global studies.
“Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to definitely detect all cases of cancer in the early stages, as the disease is asymptomatic. However, the more closely you monitor your health, the higher the probability of finding a malignant tumor in stages 1-2, ”the doctor concluded.
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