Cancer winners

Cancer, of course, is not a sore throat, but not the final verdict

Irina Krasnopolskaya, Rossiyskaya Gazeta

It was a long time ago. When not only magnetic resonance therapy was not in sight, there were no computers, mobile phones. And we will not mention the Internet at all.

But cancerous tumors, as in our days, affected many people. And although tumors were inferior to heart and vascular diseases in terms of the number of victims, the fear of cancer is incomparable. And it just so happened – in all countries, including Russia, the patient was certainly informed about a heart attack or stroke to his relatives, but the cancer diagnosis was accompanied by an unwritten taboo. Why? Is the diagnosis of "cancer" equivalent to a sentence? Therefore, doctors often do not report the diagnosis to the patient himself, and the decision to speak or not to speak about the diagnosis is left to relatives.

I will return, however, to the days when there was no Internet and mobile phones. My father, on the eve of his 69th birthday, in 1972, began to suffer from abdominal pain. We visited specialists, clinics, conducted research on him, took endless X-rays. In vain. But another X-ray at the Moscow First City Hospital showed: extensive cancer of the stomach and part of the esophagus. Operation. The entire stomach and part of the esophagus were removed. And then an amazing phenomenon declared itself, which is present, perhaps, only among cancer patients. Here he knows that he is in an oncological clinic, he knows that he has had an operation for cancer. Often there is also chemotherapy and radiation treatment. But despite everything, the patient somewhere in the subconscious does not believe in the diagnosis. My father, who managed to simply escape from the intensive care unit in which he was placed after surgery, justified his act: "Everyone has cancer there. And I have polyps. Why should I lie with them?"

To me–not to my father! – they handed over an extract from the medical history, where it was indicated and which cancer, and which operation was performed, and recommendations. And through the entire certificate with a bold red felt-tip pen, the resolution: "Do not give out on your hands!" I hid this verdict in my closet so that my father wouldn't see it, so that he wouldn't find out. And here's another paradox. In our family, it is not customary to look into other people's closets. But my father not only looked in, but also found this very certificate among the laundry. It would seem that everything became clear. He was screaming: "I have cancer. I know." But somewhere, again, in the subconscious, I didn't believe it. I went to work. Stubbornly ignored the elevator, and went up to the 6th floor on foot. He fried himself potatoes on pork fat. After such a meal, they began to suffer pain. Then I sat down on oatmeal porridge and mashed soups. When once again he was reprimanded, they say, it is impossible to eat fried after such an operation, he was indignant: "I love it." "But you have to limit yourself, because you want to live." Answered: "Right? No!"

My father lived for 83 years. Stopped working at 80. He did not forget to visit a hairdressing salon, where he cut his hair and did a pedicure with "his masters". He did not deny himself a glass of vodka or cognac, continued to smoke. Sometimes he could confide in the interlocutor: "You know, I have cancer. See how I've lost weight, all the suits are great." Stubbornly did not want to put on a new suit – there was a certain coquetry: to demonstrate that he "lost so much weight because of cancer."

The time has changed. There are now other indicators and the number of cancer patients, and diagnostic possibilities, other treatment results. But, as before, there is no recipe anywhere in the world for how to act when a tumor is detected. Yes, there is a tendency to inform the patient about the diagnosis. Moscow's chief oncologist Anatoly Makhson believes that a cancer diagnosis should not cause fear, that it should be perceived as any other. But, as with any disease, ethical issues do not go into the background. And if it's about cancer...

What kind of person is sick himself? Which person is his close relative or friend? Will he panic? An optimist? How will he react to a cancer diagnosis? Is a lie for salvation appropriate? But this lie can, as it were, disarm the patient and his loved ones. What should be done? There is no universal recipe.

Recently, the world was shocked by the story of Hollywood star Angelina Jolie. She, for preventive purposes, knowing about the possibility of developing cancer, decided to remove both breasts and intends to remove the ovaries in the near future. In the West, public people often advertise their cancer diagnosis in order to dispel the fear of this disease. The deputy director of the Blokhin Russian Cancer Center, academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Mammad Aliyev, says: "Cancer is, of course, not a sore throat, but also not a final verdict." A cancer diagnosis should not dominate a person. Life must go on.

While preparing these notes, I called a wonderful actress, a successful woman in all respects. A month ago we met at an event. She, as always, was elegant, the center of attention. About 15 years ago, she had a gland removed for breast cancer. They did plastic surgery. But the actress categorically refused to speak in the newspaper on this topic. She told me a very important, in my opinion, phrase: "I have no diagnosis!" And this is also a position. A position to be reckoned with.

Not everyone who was approached with an offer to talk about how they live with a cancer diagnosis agreed to talk about this sensitive topic. They said: "Yes, so much has already been said about it on the Internet."

Looking at Alexander Buinov, it's hard to believe that he underwent a serious operation to remove a prostate tumor. He usually laughs off journalists' questions. Everyone would have such a charge of optimism!

Some, who asked not to be named, uttered something like this phrase: "I have no right to capitulate to a terrible disease!" The insidiousness of cancer is that it can return. Torment again. And that's why it's so important not to capitulate.

Daria Dontsova has recently been perceived not only as a famous writer, but also as a person who has defeated cancer. Having told in detail about her illness, how she overcame it, she became a symbol of the will to live, faith in salvation. Dontsova repeats that cancer is not a sentence, and by personal example demonstrates the correctness of these words. Literally inspires everyone: you just need to be treated and do it on time. In an interview , she said: "I am talking about my cure not for the sake of PR, but so that people believe that it is possible to be cured. And they behaved reasonably. Is it really so difficult for a woman to go and be examined by a mammologist once every six months? I didn't do it, that's why I reached the 4th stage of cancer. I want others not to repeat my mistake."

The writer Lyudmila Ulitskaya at the presentation of her book "Sacred Garbage", which includes an essay on her fight against cancer, said that cancer is a disease for which she was ready, that it's like a New Year: you know that it will come, and you meet it. "This problem did not fall on me unexpectedly. I come from a "cancer" family: almost everyone, with very few exceptions, died of cancer. I was internally prepared for the moment when they would tell me this. Every person finds himself in a situation where he understands that life can end tomorrow and that it is necessary to live this piece of life with dignity."

Oncological diseases, salvation from them is one of the problems. All over the world. And in Russia it is even more acute because the amazing Russian mentality intervenes in the situation with its eternal "maybe it will carry through". I can't remember how many times it has been said and written that after 40 years an annual visit to a urologist is mandatory. This is constantly repeated by the chief urologist of the Russian Federation Dmitry Pushkar. I am convinced that most of those over 40 will not remember when they were at the urologist. Especially men.

But to be completely honest, part of the blame is still with the health service. From a visit to the doctor, people are stopped by the inability to get qualified advice and effective help without problems. And the further away from Moscow, the more such problems.

Each patient has his own situation, which cannot be ignored. And the trouble is: there is no trust in the doctor. They turn to him when they really need to. And the qualification of specialists is sometimes such that cancer is missed. That's why there are so many advanced stages of the disease. How many bitter confessions of cancer patients that they regularly visited doctors, and the tumor was discovered only at the 4th stage. How to explain this? However, it is not necessary to explain – measures must be taken.

Why did you decide to start a conversation about whether or not to inform the patient, his relatives of an oncological diagnosis? Why is it so important that public people began to talk about him openly more often? Yes, all for one reason: please take care of yourself! Of course, health is a special, very intimate sphere of life. Not everyone is able to "publish" failures in it. And if it concerns prostate diseases in men or cancer of the uterus or ovaries in women, even more so. Urologists, gynecologists are constantly faced with the fact that even the people closest to their patients do not know about the sufferings of their husband, wife, mother, father. They often ask the doctor not to inform family members about the true diagnosis. What should a doctor do? A question to fill in? Does a doctor have to be a psychologist as well? Necessarily. But it is even more important that the entire medical care system works for the patient, for the protection of his health. Unfortunately, we cannot boast of this.

An illustrative example. My friend has dual citizenship – Russian and Canadian. In Canada, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Quickly, in an outpatient clinic, they examined and appointed the day and hour of the operation. The patient arrived at the clinic early that morning. And at one o'clock in the afternoon she was operated on. She still doesn't know who it is. The breast was removed. They were discharged the next day. For some time we watched at home: a nurse came, the attending physician called. No complications. It was 8 years ago. 3 years before the operation, she buried her husband. And soon after the operation she got married. Happy in a new marriage. Goes to the pool, travels. But at a certain time, she must be checked at the clinic where she was operated on. You can't miss it. The assistance system does not tolerate violations.

As a medical columnist, I am often asked: which clinic to go to, which doctor to contact? All for the same reason: there is no trust in the health service. The situation when the patient does not even know who performed the operation is just nonsense for us. And if we are talking about oncology, even more so.

And one more thing, which is also not customary to speak out loud. Sometimes the treatment of a cancer patient ruins both him and his loved ones. After all, it costs from 30 thousand to tens of millions of rubles. Depends on the stage of the disease. A patient who has an early stage of the tumor, as a rule, it is enough to operate, and he recovered. In such situations, 40-50, well, 70 thousand rubles is enough. Another thing is when the stage is running. When, in addition to surgery, it is necessary to apply radiation exposure, chemotherapy. There is spending to infinity.

Most patients can get qualified help. But then it begins: mostly expensive drugs do not cure, but prolong life. It cannot be said that if the patient does not receive this drug, he will die. And if he gets it, he'll get better. There are pathologies that can be cured. For example, chorionepithelioma of the uterus. 95% of women used to die from this malignant tumor. Now medicines cure 98%. Moreover, after such treatment, they can give birth. But this is a very rare disease. And if we take mass diseases, then basically everything depends on the stage, here we are talking about prolonging life. And this extension, especially when it concerns children, is very expensive.

Our healthcare, and not only ours, is not able to bear such a burden of costs. That is why it is so important that public people not only speak out loud about their oncological diseases, but also become actors, creators of various charitable foundations that help oncological institutions, specific patients. The cancer service cannot do without charity. Unfortunately, it is impossible to treat at the modern level without the help of benefactors, only with state money.

...It's not scary to die someday. It's scary to die right now. Previously, it was believed that cancer was incurable, that it did not need to be treated at all. Today, says Mikhail Davydov, director of the Blokhin Cancer Center, 60% are cured. And 40%?

There are constant reports of new anti-cancer drugs. Out of a million proposed, it is good if one enters clinical practice – cancer cells are so insidious. Whoever creates a means of getting rid of cancer should put up a golden monument. But will we live to see the moment when an anti-cancer vaccine appears?

Only numbersIn the world, 10 million patients are diagnosed with cancer every year, i.e. 27,000 people per day.

• In our country, 2.5 million people are on the oncoaccount
• Over the past 10 years, the increase in cancer cases has been 15%.

By the wayAnd singer Alexander Medvedev (Shura), journalist Masha Gessen, TV presenter Yuri Nikolaev, ex-soloist of the group "Na-na" Vladimir Levkin, actor Emmanuel Vitorgan, soloist of the Golden Ring ensemble Nadezhda Kadysheva, rocker Svetlana Surganova, singer Aida Vedisheva, star of the film "Seven Brides of Corporal Zbruev" were cured of cancer" actor Semyon Morozov, figure skater coach Elena Tchaikovsky, tennis player Alisa Kleybanova and thousands of other less famous people.

So once again: cancer is curable!

Lung and stomach cancers are most common in our country. Lung cancer is the most common in the world: more than 1 million cases are registered annually. In the Russian Federation, the number of diagnosed cases of cancer is steadily growing. The most frequent localization of tumors: trachea, bronchi, lungs (13.3%), skin (12.5%, including melanoma), stomach (10.2%), mammary gland (10.1%). The risk of developing cancer before the age of 75 in Russia for women is 19.8%, for men – 27.5%. If we take the same risk before the age of 60, then it is noticeably lower – 8.2% for both sexes.

MeanwhileEvery year on February 4, the World Cancer Day is celebrated.

The purpose of this international day is to raise awareness about cancer as one of the most terrible diseases of modern civilization, to draw attention to the prevention, detection and treatment of this disease. After all, it is known that the occurrence of 43% of cancers could be prevented with the help of such norms of healthy behavior as: fencing access to smoking, combating this phenomenon; physical activity, balanced, healthy food; vaccination against viruses that cause liver and cervical cancer; avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun and in tanning salons.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru30.05.2013