The World He alth Organization warns that cancer will be the leading cause of premature death in the world in the coming years. That is why it is so important to prevent cancer and its early detection at a stage that allows for effective treatment.
We talk to Dr. Janusz Meder, an oncologist from the National Institute of Oncology and the president of the Polish Union of Oncology, about oncological vigilance and the code of combating cancer.
- Doctor, do the above-mentioned reports by WHO also apply to our country?
For many years, the UICC (Union for International Cancer Control) has been issuing announcements in which, based on demographic and epidemiological data, it estimates that the number of cancer cases will double in the next 20 years.
Other data shows that in the generation being born, every second person in his life will experience cancer, and some people - even a few. Due to the advancement of medicine, life expectancy is extended and many cancers have become chronic diseases. This also applies to Poland. Currently, our country has over a million people who have been diagnosed with cancer in the last 5-10 years.
On the one hand, we have bad news that cancer - and not cardiological diseases as before - will be the main cause of death in the 21st century, and on the other hand, we are glad that the progress of medical knowledge is so large and dynamic that even if we have cancer, we have a chance of effective treatment and a significant extension of life, even in some more advanced cancers.
- Is it possible to somehow avoid getting sick?
Yes. I will quote another WHO message saying that you could avoid getting 30-50 percent. cancer, if only people wanted to change their lifestyle. WHO also conducted very interesting analytical simulations concerning especially countries with middle and low national income.
It has been calculated that if a little more than $ 11 trillion a year were spent on cancer education, prevention and prophylaxis, there could be a potential saving of $ 100 trillion and thus obtain additional funds for the treatment of cancer patients.
- How then to prevent cancer?
It's simple, says the "European Code Against Cancer" (http://www.kodekswalkizrakiem.pl/kodeks/), which consists of 12 points regarding the diet (similar to the Mediterranean, rich in vegetables and fruit, limiting fat, s alt and sugar with plenty of fish, reducing the consumption of meat, especially red meat), constant physical activity ( although a daily 30-minute walk in the fresh air, away from exhaust fumes), avoiding tobacco, alcohol, UV rays (avoiding excessive sunbathing and using the solarium), some vaccinations (against HBV and HPV), etc.
These 12 points show how much depends on ourselves in the process of cancer prevention. Not only that: by following this code and changing our lifestyle, we prevent not only cancer, but also all diseases of civilization.
This is because the causes of cancer are the same as those that cause heart attacks, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, high blood pressure, and the abdominal obesity that the world is struggling with today.
- Complying with these rules really works?
There is a very interesting book on the so-called blue zones on earth. These are places where a lot of very elderly people live, who are diagnosed with extremely few civilization diseases, including cancer. These include the people of Okinawa, Sardinia, Ikaria, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica Loma Linda, California, where the Seventh-day Adventist religious group lives.
Why this is so has been analyzed and it turned out that these people live as if they knew the code. They spend a lot of time outdoors, which is really clean there, eat he althy food with lots of fish and vegetables, drink little alcohol, don't smoke and, importantly, live in groups that support each other, be it a religious or ethnic group, have goals to pursue, have less stress, do yoga, or have strong faith.
Because the psychological, emotional and spiritual aspect is also of great importance for he alth. It is known that long-term stress is fatal to he alth, and we have been living under chronic stress since kindergarten. The rat race begins there, and then continued in school, college and work. It is worth slowing down and finding a balance between being and having, because stopping allows you to see the more important thing, which is he alth.
- Is following these rules enough, is there anything else we should do to avoid getting sick or significantly delay cancer?
Of course, that's not all.The so-called oncological vigilance, i.e. observing your body in order to catch all disturbing symptoms that may indicate the onset of cancer.
I have been promoting the use of the so-called "Golden rule of 2-3 weeks", which boils down to one sentence: if the symptoms and ailments that have not been experienced so far are not completely eliminated within 2-3 weeks by simple symptomatic treatment (anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic) - they should be deepened diagnosis and first to exclude neoplasm and only then deal with the diagnosis of other diseases.
In addition, it is important to perform periodic checkups once a year: blood count with smear, ESR, blood sugar levels, liver tests, urea, creatinine, as well as a general urine test.
The results of such tests show the efficiency of our internal organs, they can detect not only cancer, but also other diseases - and at an early stage.
In addition, men over 50 they should measure PSA levels, because it is not a determinant of prostate cancer, but abnormal results may prompt the patient to visit a urologist, perform a biopsy and detect any cancer.
Women and men over 50 should have a colonoscopy to help detect colon cancer.
I strongly encourage everyone to visit the dentist at least once every six months in order not only to treat any caries-inflammatory lesions, but also to early detect any suspicious changes in the oral mucosa, tongue, tonsils and throat.
All of the above tests are excellent ways to quickly find a precancerous or very early stage cancer that can easily be completely cured.
- What other tests should women perform as part of oncological vigilance?
Ladies, I encourage you to do free screening tests for cytology (aged 25-59 every 3 years), which is important in the prevention of cervical cancer and mammography (50-69 years every 2 years), breast cancer.
- Genetic research has been popular recently. Is it worth doing them to assess the risk of developing cancer?
Genetic tests are aimed mainly at people who had at least one first-degree relative in their family (parents, siblings, children) suffering from cancer, e.g. of the large intestine, breast or thyroid gland. Such patients should visit genetic clinics, preferably located at oncology centers oracademic centers.
This is important, because in such places not only the test result is obtained, but also an interview is carried out, which, together with the results, allows you to assess the risk of falling ill. Because the presence of a mutation in a person's genes does not mean that they will experience cancer. And it does not mean that a woman should have her breasts amputated or ovaries excised as a preventive measure. Sometimes it is enough only to carry out careful observation and the above-mentioned oncological vigilance.
- What other tests will help identify the threat?
If someone smokes cigarettes, he should have a chest x-ray once a year, and this - attention - in two projections. Because it is not uncommon to take one photo in the posterior-anterior projection and add the comment: "internal organs of the chest unchanged."
This is misleading the patient as it is impossible to identify early neoplastic lesions or other mediastinal conditions unless a lateral image is taken.
Another important thing is to observe your body and organism. It is worth washing your hand in the shower from time to time to feel any lumps or lumps under the skin or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin. In women - lumps or lumps in the breasts, in men - in the genital area.
You should also watch your skin pigmentation marks, especially after returning from a sunny holiday, if they do not enlarge, change their shape and color. Skin pigment cells melanocytes have an immune memory: the more we expose them to UV radiation over our lifetime, the more likely they are to develop mutations that lead to skin cancer or melanoma.
Finally, disturbing signals are: rapid weight loss, fever of unknown origin, chronic fatigue, excessive sweating, disorders in urination and stool, change in bowel movements, chronic hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, any bleeding - blood in saliva, stool , urine or intermenstrual bleeding in women.
- And vaccinations? In some countries, cervical cancer is said to end thanks to HPV vaccinations …
This is a very important element of oncological vigilance. We are talking mainly about the hepatitis B virus and the aforementioned HPV virus, i.e. the human papilloma.
By vaccinating against hepatitis B, you can avoid cirrhosis and, as a result, liver cancer, which is often overlooked and detected so advanced that there is no more effective treatment for it.
Whereas inIn fact, there is scientific evidence based on a ten-year vaccination program for pre-sexual initiation girls and boys in Australia, Scotland and Scandinavia that shows that the HPV vaccine can eradicate cervical cancer.
Vaccine against human papillomavirus (a modern 9-valent preparation of the third generation), prevents the incidence of neoplasms induced by this virus in 95%. It is worth adding that the relationship between HPV and cancer of the mouth, throat, tonsils, anal canal or external genitalia has also been proven - due to dangerous sexual behavior, oral sex, anal sex or frequent change of partners.
Speaking of neoplasms induced by viruses and bacteria, we should mention helicobakter pylori - bacteria that cause stomach ulcers. With prolonged contact with this bacterium, neoplasms may develop: cancer or lymphoma of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. Helicobacter pylorii can be successfully eliminated through effective treatment.
- The hepatitis B vaccine is on the compulsory vaccination program, but the HPV vaccine is not.
The National Cancer Strategy provides for the introduction of a mandatory HPV vaccine, but only in 2-3 years. The interest in it is so huge that the production does not keep up with the global demand.
But vaccination itself is not everything - in Poland there is a lack of educational programs, of course adapted to the age of children and adolescents, which would provide knowledge about safe attitudes and pro-he alth behavior.
Such education must be introduced, because parents do not talk about it at home, and young people look for role models on the Internet. The education of the younger generation is also important for another reason. Currently, the anti-vaccine movement is widespread, which has no scientific basis and which can only be opposed by smart kindergarten education.
- The Doctor talks all the time about the oncological vigilance of the patient. And what is the role of doctors in all this?
Huge. We have finally come to the point where I want to encourage everyone to be rebellious towards some less attentive doctors. Each of us is able to observe some disturbing symptoms. You have to present them to the doctor and not get choked.
For the needs of all of us, I created the application of the aforementioned "golden rule of 2-3 weeks". The doctor must rule out cancer first and then diagnose other diseases. And if he doesn't want to do that, he has to change the doctor.
- Thank you very much for the interview
dr Janusz Meder
doctor of medical sciences, oncologist, president of the Polish Union of Oncology, National Institute of Oncology - National Research Institute in Warsaw.