Yes, some of the malignant neoplasms are quite contagious.
I mean mainly those that are capable of metastasizing or cloning.
Of course, in order to become infected, certain conditions are required. The invasiveness of cancer cells is usually low (if you do not take into account canine sarcoma and Tasmanian devil, etc.), and they survive poorly in the environment.
However, scientists at the end of the 19th century and further, in the 20th, worked on animals with transplantable tumors (this is when a tumor is “transplanted” from one animal, grafted by introducing part of the tumor or its cell suspension into another).
In other words, this is the transfer of a tumor from one organism to another, in which the tumor grows and multiplies, etc. Sometimes transfer occurs between species.
In this case, the “infectiousness” of the tumor is ensured by a person performing certain manipulations. To keep tumor cells alive and help them overcome protective barriers (by introducing them into wounds, organs, under the skin or into the abdominal cavity).
Another option, when a person helps a tumor spread (unwittingly) and infect other organs and tissues of the body, is a biopsy and surgical removal of the tumor. With a surgical instrument, tumor cells can be introduced into the surrounding tissues and into the blood, thus overcoming some natural barriers.
This is the “contagiousness” of cancer within one organism.
However, other options are also possible. It happens that a tumor arises under the influence of biological factors. For example, papillomavirus. It is highly contagious, and person to person transmits the disease (which can be completely asymptomatic, or can cause polyps and erosions) and a chance for cancer - cervical cancer (which usually has a tendency to metastasize). Because the papilloma virus (certain varieties, as far as we know now) can cause such a complication - cervical cancer after a few years.
The cause-and-effect relationship has not been scientifically established for a long time. And I remember a story told by an elderly friend of mine. When she was a young girl (probably mid-60s), her mother, by no means a scientist or medical professional, taught her using the example of her neighbor. It happened like this - a man from a neighboring house lost his wife from cervical cancer, and after a relatively short time (about a year) he asked his neighbor, who lived 3 floors above, to marry him. She agreed. And so the mother of this friend of mine said: “Don’t be as stupid as she is. How can you marry a man whose wife died from such an illness? This is signing your own death warrant. And she knew why she died, neighbors, after all. And I told her to think about it, to be careful, and she said, “You’re talking nonsense, everyone knows that cancer is not a contagious disease. She’s young, she doesn’t know life. So, daughter, if a widower suddenly offers you his hand.” Be sure to find out what his wife died from, and if it’s from this, don’t try it.” Her mother turned out to be right - 10 years later, the second wife also died from cervical cancer (and other cancers - first they cut out one, then the other, and then that was it). The man remained healthy and did not subsequently suffer from cancer.
Of course, this could be a sad coincidence, but in another 30 years the role of papillomaviruses in the development of this type of cancer will be proven by scientists. So it seems that it is not contagious, but from another point of view, it is as if it was contagious - back in those days when such popular opinion was considered “naive and harmful.”
A connection has also been established between hepatitis C and liver cancer - but here the % risk of developing cancer is higher, hepatitis C was a lifelong disease (until a few years ago they developed a medicine that allows you to completely get rid of the virus), and cancer ended in a third of cases (well, still there is cirrhosis, etc.).
Not long ago, scientists discovered an amazing oddity in one of the types of colorectal cancer. The one that was more aggressive interacted very closely with bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum. And the metastatic cells, migrating to other organs, took these bacteria with them (whether of their own free will or not, this is a separate question). Therefore, this bacterium was surprised to be found where, in theory, it could not be - for example, in tumor foci in liver tissue (together with metastatic colorectal cancer cells, of course). Many conditions called "precancerous" are quite associated with infectious agents (erosions, bronchitis, gastritis and ulcers, etc.).
In general, when the appearance and development of cancer (as one of the complications or forms of infection) is associated with infection by some microorganisms that act as the main or accompanying factor, then, of course, we can talk about the contagiousness of cancer (although it is delayed and significantly lower than the contagiousness of the infections themselves).
In this area, I believe, there is still a lot of research and many “wonderful discoveries” to be made.
However, now I still want to focus on other cases - in recent years, works have been published on “accidental” infections. For example, a surgeon cut himself during an operation to remove a tumor, and, despite short-term contact, he developed a similar tumor some time later.
Or, while examining the tumor of a patient with lung cancer, the doctor noticed that the tumor cells were excessively small, and a more detailed analysis showed that the tumor was “not native” and was transmitted to the host from a parasite, a worm, which had cancer (judging by all over).
But here is a recent case confirming that, under certain conditions, cancer is completely transmitted from person to person - organ transplantation. In Europe, an organ donor, a practically healthy woman (it turns out that potential donors there are examined quite seriously and regularly), who died of a stroke at the age of 53, infected 4 people with cancer, 3 of whom, alas, died. She herself did not have cancer (as everyone thought), the screening was negative, and perhaps she would not have gotten sick, but she was infected. It happens that the tumor is microscopic, it is not visible, and it is also not noticeable in tests, but it sends metastases, and they “sit” quietly in the places of arrival, in other organs and tissues, waiting until the immune system fails and they can begin to multiply. Until then, it is almost impossible to detect cancer in humans, CT scan with additional. The substance detects only actively dividing cells, foci, and active metastases. And the “sleeping” ones can probably only be detected and destroyed by the immune system.
So, patients who received donor organs (kidneys, liver, lungs) developed tumors in these organs (and where subsequent metastases went). These tumors consisted of breast cancer cells from an organ donor.
Metastases, settling in another organ and developing into a tumor there, are still cells of the original “mother” organ. They simply use the new place as a place and as an environment for growth. Now, thanks to the development of science, this can be “traced” not only histologically.
So it turned out that a woman who did not have breast cancer infected several other people with her cancer. And the fact that their immunity was lowered (in order to avoid rejection of donor organs), they took immunosuppressants) really stimulated the tumor process. More typical, of course, is the variant of Kaposi's sarcoma in recipients, when this form of cancer develops in the transplanted organs. On the other hand, this type of sarcoma is considered to be closely related to the herpes virus, and there is a chance that everything was transplanted together.
Yes, blood transfusion also has some chances of transferring cancer cells from the blood donor.
I note that all sorts of detailed and in-depth analyzes of genetics, etc., began to be done not very long ago and are not done everywhere (and it’s not cheap either), so there is a chance that the published cases are just the tip of the iceberg.
Of course, such risks of contracting cancer directly are low, because certain conditions are needed for this infection to occur. But they exist, these risks, they are not zero.
Cancer has the potential for infection. And evolutionarily, cancer cells “strive” to increase invasiveness, virulence, and in some cases they even succeed - for example, the facial tumors of the Tasmanian devil - wipe out the population, just an epidemic of cancer. All these poor animals

Over time, the mechanism of action on the cell was revealed, and the theory about the contagiousness of the disease was refuted.

The symptoms of cancer are clearly spontaneous in nature, but usually appear in the last stages of the disease, when the disease is practically invincible. To exclude the possibility of developing a cancerous tumor in your body, undergo regular medical examinations, and do not ignore your health.

Common signs of cancer

A cancerous tumor causes cells to release toxins that negatively affect the entire body, causing the manifestation of certain symptoms. The first symptoms of cancer in men, women and children are different, but have common features:

1. During long-term treatment of diseases for which there were no problems previously, it is worth thinking about the possibility of cancer. Symptoms that are not characteristic of a particular disease, or the lack of results from traditional treatment, are reasons to consult a doctor.
2. Exposure to stress, decreased immunity, sudden weight loss – such seemingly insignificant symptoms may indirectly indicate the development of a tumor. They are common to any type of cancer. Losing weight by just 5-7 kg is a good reason to pay attention to your health.
3. If you detect any tumor, tissue deformation, growths, or asymmetry of body parts, immediately consult an oncologist. Such neoplasms must be examined to exclude the development of oncology.
4. Increased body temperature for no apparent reason. Fever and regular chills without other symptoms confirming the development of infectious diseases are often a sign of the presence of a tumor.
5. Changes in the skin in the form of pale or blue discoloration, itching, irritation, and dryness may indicate damage to internal organs by cancer. All of these are also possible first symptoms of cancer.
6. Particular attention should be paid to moles. Changing their shape, size, color and especially quantity is a reason to pay attention.
7. Regular intestinal disorders, pain when urinating, the presence of blood in stool or urine should ring a bell when diagnosing cancer.
8. Regular headaches, dizziness, a sharp increase or decrease in blood pressure are also reasons to seek help from a specialist.
9. Anemia. If the functioning of the affected organs is disrupted, the process of red blood cell production slows down, which affects the hemoglobin content in the blood. Diagnosis is possible in laboratory conditions using a general blood test, and the external manifestation is pale skin and hair loss.

The general symptoms described above often accompany other diseases and should not be ignored in any case. There are also more specific signs of oncology, each type of cancer has its own.

Cancer detection methods

A person who does not have the symptoms described above cannot consider himself 100% healthy. Only regular professional examinations, a series of tests and studies can completely eliminate the development of cancer cells in the body. To understand how cancer is transmitted, scientists have conducted more than one study. And we can definitely say that in order to detect cancer at an early stage, it is necessary to take the following actions:

• donate blood for general analysis and biochemistry;
• undergo fluorography;
• do an ECG;
• do a computed tomography scan;
• do a magnetic resonance imaging scan.

Common types of cancer in women

Cancers that progress exclusively in women are becoming increasingly common: breast and cervical cancer. Additional research is required to verify:

All the studies described are superficial and do not provide complete confidence in the absence of the disease. You can get more complete information about your predisposition to developing cancer by donating blood to identify tumor markers: alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen, CA-125, CA-15-3, CA-19-9, CA-242, prostate-specific antigen. The presence of one or more markers indicates the development of a tumor.

How cancer is transmitted: external and internal factors

During the development of oncology, a tumor forms in the human body, which can be benign or malignant. In most cases, a benign tumor is removed and no longer bothers you; a malignant tumor has to be fought for years, but in some cases it cannot be defeated.

The emergence of one of the most complex diseases of the 21st century is due to the influence of internal and external factors.

External factors

• Radiation.
• Ultraviolet radiation.
• Carcinogens.
• Some viruses.
• Tobacco smoke.
• Air pollution.

Under the influence of external factors, mutation of the cells of the affected organ occurs. Cells begin to divide at high speed, and a tumor appears.

Intrinsic factors in the development of cancer

The influence of internal factors is understood as heredity. Predisposition to cancer is due to a decrease in the body’s ability to restore the affected DNA chain, that is, immunity to cancer is reduced, as a result of which the susceptibility to cancer increases.

Until now, scientists around the world are arguing about the causes and methods of transmission of cancer cells. At this stage of research, it was revealed that the affected cell appears as a result of genetic mutations. Throughout life, such cells mutate under the influence of external factors.

Due to the lack of methods for influencing the mutation, methods for predicting the development of cancer cells have not been determined, so modern treatment of cancer only allows one to influence the result, suppressing tumor growth through chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Types of cancer that are caused by hereditary factors

In some cases, cancer is inherited, but you need to understand that this is a very small probability. Doctors named the types of oncologies that are most often inherited:

• Breast cancer. With an inherited mutation of certain genes, the likelihood of developing breast cancer increases to 95%. Having this type of cancer in close relatives doubles the risk.
• Ovarian cancer. The occurrence of a malignant tumor on the ovaries doubles if close relatives have this disease.
• Lung cancer. Has a family tendency. A sharp development is provoked by smoking. Therefore, answering the question of whether cancer is inherited from the father, it can be argued that if a person gives up smoking, then negative consequences can be avoided.
• Stomach cancer. 15% of those suffering from this type of cancer have close relatives with the same diagnosis. Stomach ulcers, pancreatitis and other types of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract provoke the development of cancer cells.

The most common causes of cancer

If you are wondering how cancer is transmitted, then you don’t have to worry, because doctors have proven that 90% of oncology is associated with exposure to external factors:

• Smoking. 30% of cases are caused by smoking.
• Poor nutrition. 35% of patients had digestive problems due to poor nutrition.
• Infections. 14% of patients became ill as a result of a serious infectious disease.
• Impact of carcinogens on the body. Accounts for 5% of all cases.
• Ionization and ultraviolet radiation. 6% of patients were exposed to regular radiation.
• Alcohol. 2% of patients had alcohol dependence.
• Polluted environment. 1% of cases occur in regions with severe air pollution from heavy chemicals.
• Inactive lifestyle. 4% of patients lead a sedentary lifestyle.

What conclusions can be drawn?

One question about cancer can be answered clearly. Is it possible to become infected with oncology through airborne droplets? Of course not. Yes, cancer is a virus, but it is formed inside the human body, and does not come from outside. And yet, how is cancer transmitted? It is impossible to become infected with cancer by any known route. Cell mutations are transmitted exclusively at the gene level. In addition, a person susceptible to such a terrible disease as cancer needs support, communication and care, and not isolation and contempt. No one is immune, there is no vaccine against cancer, and the only thing a person can do is lead a healthy lifestyle.

Many people are also concerned about how blood cancer is transmitted. The answer is clear - it is not transmitted through blood! Once in the body of a healthy person, the affected cells will simply leave the body after some time without causing any harm.

Doctors and scientists around the world do not stop working on methods for diagnosing and treating cancer. The time is not far off when it will be possible to find out about your health status from an instant blood test. Until this time comes, it is important to be attentive to your health, listen and hear your body, because in some cases cancer is inherited. Timely contact with specialists will help save your life and protect your loved ones from losing loved ones.

Is cancer contagious?

The term cancer refers to about 100 diseases that affect the body.

Oncological diseases are characterized by the uncontrolled division of mutated cells, resulting in the formation of a tumor and affecting organs and systems.

The older a person is, the more at risk they are of getting sick. Every year, more than 6.5 million cases of malignant neoplasms are registered worldwide. So it's no surprise that people are worried about finding out if cancer is contagious and how to avoid it.

According to the study, a sick person cannot infect others by airborne droplets, sexual contact, household contact, or blood. Such cases are simply not known to science. Doctors involved in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients do not use the same safety measures as when treating infectious diseases.

Foreign scientists were able to prove that cancer is not transmitted at the beginning of the 19th century. In particular, a surgeon from France, Jean Albert, injected himself and several volunteers subcutaneously with an extract of a malignant tumor. None of the participants in the bold experiment got sick. American scientists conducted a similar experiment in 1970. Research Institute employees Sloan-Keternig injected a culture of cancer cells under the skin of volunteers. None of the volunteers got sick.

Additional evidence that cancer is not transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person comes from research by Swedish scientists. In 2007, the results of studies on blood transfusions in the country during the period were published. According to the data, after blood transfusions it turned out that some donors had cancer. The recipients who received blood transfusions did not get sick.

Rumors about the risk of contracting cancer

Some time ago, there was a widespread belief among ordinary people that it was possible to become infected with cancer because it was viral in nature. Panic sentiments prevailed among the population, but they turned out to be unfounded.

And the reason for this erroneous opinion was the publication of research results by scientists who discovered cancer viruses in some animals. Thus, the mammary cancer virus was transmitted when an adult mouse fed its young.

But such a virus was not found in humans during long-term studies. The fact is that there are biological differences between humans and animals, in addition, tumor diseases have different specificities among representatives of fauna and homo sapiens.

Is cancer inherited?

The question concerns a genetic predisposition to the development of cancer. Scientists have identified cases where cancer was transmitted at the gene level from generation to generation. In particular, we are talking about breast cancer. The probability that it will be passed on to descendants is 95% of cases.

As for cancer of the stomach or other organs, there is no data on their hereditary transmission. For the most part, doctors talk about a family predisposition to tumor diseases due to the weak immunity of relatives, and not to genetics.

Relatives of people diagnosed with cancer should lead a healthy lifestyle.

What viruses are transmitted and cause cancer?

A clear answer to the question of whether it is possible to contract cancer from a patient is the health of medical workers treating cancer patients. The history of medicine does not know a single case in which clinic staff or relatives providing care to a patient became infected with cancer.

Simple contacts and communication are not dangerous. But there are viruses that can be transmitted from person to person. Everything would not be so scary if these viruses did not provoke cancer, especially in people with reduced immunity.

For example, kissing a person who has stomach cancer is not advisable if you suffer from gastritis or ulcers. Scientists have revealed that the main provocateur of stomach tumors is the microbe Helicobacter pylori. It lives in the stomach of every person, whether he is sick or healthy. If a person has a healthy stomach, the bacterium will not harm him, but if there is a long inflammatory process (ulcer, gastritis), cancer may begin to develop in the affected area. Helicobacter is transmitted through saliva, which is important to consider for people with stomach problems.

Another example is hepatitis B and C viruses. They play a role in the occurrence of liver tumors. As a rule, liver cancer is a consequence of cirrhosis, which, in turn, is caused by hepatitis viruses. It can take a long time from the day you become infected with the hepatitis virus to the development of liver cancer. You can become infected with hepatitis through sexual contact through blood. Therefore, you need to be careful when treating wounds in patients with liver cancer if they have been diagnosed with hepatitis viruses.

Papillomas on the body are evidence of weakened immunity and the likelihood of an exacerbation of the human papillomavirus (HPV). According to medical statistics, every woman becomes infected with HPV after about 3 months from the start of sexual activity. It is this virus that is considered a provocateur of cervical cancer, but all women should not panic.

HPV only spreads actively if the immune system is compromised. Therefore, anyone who begins to develop papillomas on their body should consult a doctor. HPV is transmitted sexually, but can also be transmitted through contact through microdamage to the skin of the genital organs. By the way, a condom is not able to protect against HPV, since the virus penetrates through the pores of the rubber.

A little-known fact to many is that most of us were infected with the Epstein-Barr virus as children. 9 out of 10 people have it. The presence of the virus is asymptomatic; in rare situations, the virus manifests itself as mononucleosis (enlarged spleen, lymph nodes against the background of changes in blood composition).

If mononucleosis progresses to the chronic stage, the risk of tumors of the nasopharynx and lymph nodes increases. Considering that almost everyone has the virus, there is no need to be afraid of the fact that it is transmitted through saliva. But what you should be afraid of is the activity of the virus when immunity decreases.

What factors provoke a tumor?

The state of the environment affects the risk of getting sick. For example, entering an area with high radiation, working in a hazardous industry, staying in the sun for a long time or inhaling exhaust gases provokes the development of thyroid cancer, leukemia, melanoma, etc.

Biological factors include exposure to the viruses listed above - HPV, hepatitis, Epstein-Barr, etc.

Unbalanced nutrition, unreasonable diets, as well as overeating - all this leads to metabolic disorders. And if you often consume carcinogenic aflatoxins (in peanuts, moldy foods, corn), water pollutants (arsenic), fast food, then the risk of developing a malignant tumor increases.

Excess weight affects the amount of estrogen in the body and other hormones, which can affect the development of cancer. Obesity does not cause cancer, but it interferes with its diagnosis and treatment - a layer of fat reduces the effectiveness of the effect.

Smoking is a well-known and controversial factor that causes constant controversy. Scientists in countries are trying to find a relationship between smoking and stomach and lung cancer, but cannot provide scientific substantiation of the hypotheses. However, according to statistics, cancer is much more common among smokers.

How dangerous is skin cancer?

Some of the most common cancers are skin cancer and melanoma. In 2012, skin cancer in the Ust-Vymsky region was in 3rd place among cancer diseases. In 2014, among the female population of the region, skin cancer (women get sick more often) was detected in 7% of women with cancer.

There are three main forms of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma. These three types of skin cancer are very different from each other and can present and behave very differently.

Basal cell skin cancer develops in many people, but unlike squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, it does not metastasize and therefore, in most cases, is not life-threatening.

Squamous cell carcinoma develops less frequently than basal cell carcinoma, but it is a more aggressive form of cancer that can lead to death if the necessary help is not provided in time.

Melanoma is the rarest and most dangerous type of skin cancer. Melanoma can kill a person within a few months and can only be treated in the early stages of development.

What symptoms and signs may indicate skin cancer? How can cancer start and what can it look like?

Skin cancer can look like a normal and harmless mole, spot, wart, callus or wound. In this regard, at home, it is completely impossible to accurately determine whether this or that formation on your skin is cancer or not.

CAUSES OF THE DISEASE

One of the most important factors in skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation (in particular, the UV spectrum of sunlight). While chronic UV damage to the skin is important for the development of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers, the risk of developing melanoma is greatest with intermittent (possibly even single) intense exposure to sunlight. This position is confirmed by the fact that skin melanoma often occurs on areas of the body protected by clothing. It has been established that skin melanoma most often affects people who spend most of their time indoors, but who are periodically exposed to intense UV exposure (recreation outdoors under the sun). While skin cancer occurs in unprotected areas.

Using a tanning bed can also increase your risk of developing cancer. The results of some studies show that in the United States alone, people visiting solariums annually provoke more new cases of skin cancer (mainly basal cell carcinoma).

An important and very common etiological factor for skin melanoma is trauma to pigmented nevi (bruises, abrasions and cuts).

There are reports of the possible etiological role of rays from fluorescent lighting, chemical carcinogens, particularly hair dyes, as well as ionizing radiation and strong electromagnetic fields.

Scientific research has also found that smoking may contribute to the development of squamous cell skin cancer.

Ethnic factors influence the incidence of skin cancer. The tumor is more common among people with fair skin; it occurs less frequently among blacks.

Most often, skin cancer and melanoma occur in individuals with a small amount of pigment in the tissues (that is, with fair skin, hair, eyes), which is combined with increased sensitivity to UV rays. Taking into account skin and hair color, the risk of developing cancer increases by 1.6 times in blondes, 2 times in people with fair skin and 3 times in people with red hair.

In recent years, immune factors in the body have become increasingly important in the occurrence of skin cancer. Immunodepression and immunodeficiency states of the body increase the risk of the disease. In addition, endocrine factors are of certain importance. In particular, it has been found that pregnancy can have a stimulating effect on the degeneration of pigmented nevi.

The influence on the disease from gender, age and anatomical location of the tumor are closely interrelated. Skin melanoma is 2 times more common in women, with the peak incidence occurring in adulthood; most often affects people in the 5th decade of life; the most common locations of the tumor are the skin of the extremities and torso; in women, primary melanoma is most often localized on the face, buttocks and legs, in men - on the skin of the anterior and lateral surface of the chest wall, thighs, hands, heel area and toes.

In addition, there are a number of hereditary skin diseases that predispose to the development of cancer (xeroderma pigmentosum, Bowen's disease, Paget's disease and others).

IS SKIN CANCER INHERITED?

The likelihood of developing skin cancer (especially melanoma) may be largely related to a person's genetic predisposition to developing the disease.

The development of squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma is less associated with hereditary predisposition.

If one of your close relatives has skin cancer (especially melanoma), be sure to consult a dermatologist or oncologist so that he can examine your skin. Encourage your other relatives to do the same.

Skin cancer is not contagious.

CAN CHILDREN HAVE SKIN CANCER?

Skin cancer can develop in people of any age. However, it is quite rare to develop in children, especially if the child is under 9-10 years old.

If one of the child’s close relatives has skin cancer (especially melanoma) and the child is already 10 years old, be sure to take him to a dermatologist or oncologist for a preventive examination.

You can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing this disease if you follow these simple rules.

Try to limit your exposure to the sun, avoid heavy tanning and visiting a solarium. Sun exposure can be one of the main factors triggering the development of skin cancer.

If one of your close relatives has skin cancer, be sure to consult a dermatologist or oncologist to have your moles checked.

If you are under 40 years of age, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist for a preventive examination once every 3 years. If you are over 40, it would be the right decision to contact a dermatologist for an examination once a year.

Unfortunately, tests for tumor markers have not yet been developed, the presence of which in the blood could indicate the presence of skin cancer.

oncologist at the Ust-Vym Central District Hospital.

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Is cancer contagious or not?

Is cancer contagious to others?

To avoid the fear of contracting cancer from a cancer patient, it is necessary to understand that cancer is a tumor whose cells are capable of multiplying uncontrollably, spreading throughout the body. The activity of cancer cells is aimed at reducing the immune defense of one organism with the prospect of destroying healthy tissue.

Malignant cells do not have the opportunity to penetrate from the body of a cancer patient into the body of a healthy person. This is their main difference from viruses and bacteria, for which it is vitally important to move into another organism for further life. Cancer, killing the body, dies along with it.

Official medicine does not consider cancer a contagious disease. It is known that some viruses can provoke a tumor, for example, the human papillomavirus, which increases the possibility of cancer pathology by sixty times. However, the papilloma virus is not a carrier of a terrible disease. It has been proven that cancer is formed from immature cells that multiply uncontrollably, displacing healthy cells.

In the body of every person there is a cell that, under the influence of unfavorable factors, is capable of starting the oncological process. A healthy immune system recognizes “destructive” agents and does everything to destroy them. If the immune system is weakened, there is a risk of developing a malignant tumor.

There is a misconception that cancer is contagious to humans. Oncologists explain to relatives of patients that cancer is not transmitted by contact. To date, not a single case of infection of oncology clinic staff has been identified. Medical workers have the same chance of contracting cancer as people in other professions. Therefore, to the question: “Can you get cancer from a sick person?” the answer is clear: no.

Factors influencing the appearance of a malignant tumor

Age. Most oncological pathologies occur after forty-five years, therefore, upon reaching this age limit, it is advisable to undergo a medical examination every year, including blood tests for tumor markers.

Bad habits. Smoking causes lung cancer. Alcohol consumption increases the risk of malignant neoplasms in the oral cavity and esophagus.

Ecological situation. Cities with a developed metallurgical industry and chemical plants have high rates of cancer incidence.

Nutrition. Daily consumption of foods high in fat is associated with tumors of the breast, uterus, and ovaries. Colon cancer - lack of foods containing fiber in the diet.

Hormonal background. Patients with high estrogen levels are diagnosed with breast cancer more often than women with normal hormonal status.

Physical activity. Lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle influence the appearance of cancerous tumors.

Heredity. From birth, a person has a hereditary predisposition associated with a low level of immune defense.

Lack of information. It is important to follow news about a healthy lifestyle and preventive measures for oncology.

All malignant tumors have certain characteristics. The faster a tumor develops, the more harm it causes to the body, destroying major systems. Over time, changes occur in metabolism, hormonal regulation is disrupted, and the body's defenses are reduced.

Having appeared in the body, a malignant tumor poisons healthy tissues located next to the tumor.

Main symptoms of cancer

1. Weight loss. Most people who have been diagnosed with a malignant tumor have lost weight. Therefore, if you have lost six to seven kilograms of weight for no reason, then this should alert you.

2. High temperature. Fever indicates the negative impact of a malignant tumor on the immune system. The body resists infection and activates forces.

3. Loss of strength. The increase in weakness occurs gradually. As the tumor grows, it negatively affects the body, poisoning it.

4. Chronic constipation, diarrhea. Changes in the color of stool or the number of bowel movements may indicate colon cancer.

5. Pain when urinating, blood in the urine.

6. Ulcers that don’t heal for a long time. Bleeding wounds.

7. Purulent or bloody discharge. Hemoptysis is a symptom of lung and larynx cancer. Vaginal discharge mixed with blood – cervical cancer. Drops of blood from the nipple are an oncological process in the mammary gland.

8. Focal compaction in any part of the body.

9. Difficulty swallowing.

10. Enlargement of moles and change in their color.

12. Loss of appetite.

13. Putrid odor from the mouth.

Despite the work that scientists are doing to combat malignant tumors, cancer mortality is high. This is due to the fact that the disease is diagnosed in an advanced stage.

These symptoms indicate not only cancer. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.

Diagnostics

Early diagnosis of cancer plays a critical role in treatment. Therefore, it is very important to have regular checkups with your doctor. The use of cancer diagnostic techniques is necessary to detect tumor formation, determine the type of tumor, and the stage of spread in the body. Oncologists base their choice of treatment tactics on these data.

In order for the treatment to be successful, the doctor collects anamnesis: conducts a conversation with the patient, during which complaints are clarified. Next, the doctor conducts an initial examination with palpation of the painful area.

At the first stage of the examination, blood, urine, and stool tests are prescribed. Biochemical indicators will indicate the presence of an inflammatory process, histology will confirm or deny a cancerous tumor.

If the test results are poor, further examination is carried out:

Computed tomography is a diagnostic method based on the use of x-rays. Computed tomography makes it possible to distinguish a benign tumor from cancer. Using CT, the condition of the primary focus of the pathological process, the degree of spread, and the presence of metastases are assessed.

Mammography is a technique for examining a woman’s breasts using an X-ray machine: a mammograph. Mammography can detect cancer at an early stage. Timely detection of a tumor helps to completely get rid of cancer pathology.

Radioisotope scanning is used to detect the primary tumor, the degree of distribution of the cancer process, and the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment.

Magnetic resonance imaging. The most common diagnostic method in oncology. MRI does not expose the patient to radiation. This important fact is important because cancer patients need repeat tests.

Ultrasound – examination of internal organs using ultrasound. It is a safe diagnostic method.

Biopsy. This research method is based on the removal of cells and tissues from the body for diagnostic purposes. After the biopsy, the biological material is sent for histological examination.

Tumor markers are indicator substances. An increased level of tumor markers indicates the development of cancer.

If a person is at risk (presence of a malignant tumor in close relatives), it is necessary to undergo routine diagnostics. Detection of cancerous tumors in the initial stages is the key to successful treatment.

The question: “Is cancer contagious to others?” many people are interested. First of all, this problem is of interest to those who have a cancer patient in their family.

The main factor in the occurrence of oncopathology is a violation of the DNA structure of cells. Gene changes that disrupt the cell life cycle are considered the main cause of cancer. Oncological processes are associated with inherited genetic information. A person cannot change the structure of genes, but the risk of disease can be reduced by knowing the unfavorable causes of the disease.

When the disease cannot be treated, the patient is discharged home. Family members care for cancer patients. Relatives can care for a cancer patient without fear, without fear that the cancer is contagious to others. Cancer is not a viral pathology. The focus of cancer develops individually in the body. Therefore, it is impossible to become infected with cancer through contact with a sick person.

Only relatives can surround the patient with attention and care. The friendly attitude of loved ones in combination with drug therapy can significantly improve the condition of a cancer patient.

Cancer patient at home. Can he give cancer to other people?

About those who have 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 consult a doctor late, and when the process goes far, neither surgery, nor radiation therapy, nor chemotherapy will help. Oncologists discharge such patients home, recommending symptomatic therapy at home under the supervision of a local physician.

In this case, the entire burden of caring for a cancer patient falls on family members. The most important thing when caring for a cancer patient 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 independently. Caring for a cancer patient requires a lot of patience and physical strength from relatives.

Some families hire a nurse to care for a cancer patient, but 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 this attitude of relatives, a kind of vacuum is created around the suffering patient; he is shunned, isolated, and his children and grandchildren are not allowed near him. Meanwhile, there is no evidence that a cancer patient can infect other people.

Relatives and friends can care for a cancer patient without fear, surrounding him with the attention, care and warmth that he now so needs. The tense state and anxiety of family members is easily transmitted to the patient. The friendly attitude of loved ones, combined with the right medications, can greatly improve the physical condition of a seriously ill patient with cancer.

In the history of medical practice, there has not been a single case in which doctors, nurses in oncology departments, or relatives who cared for a cancer patient themselves became infected with this disease from them. A cancer patient is not contagious; simple contacts and communication with him do not pose any danger. But there are some types of viruses that can trigger the development of cancer in people with weak immune systems. It is not advisable to kiss someone with stomach cancer if you suffer from stomach ulcers or gastritis.

Scientists have proven that stomach cancer is caused by a microbe called Helicobacter pylori, which lives in the stomach of each of us. Helicobacter does not pose any danger to the healthy gastric mucosa, but at the site of prolonged 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.

Today it is known that hepatitis C and B viruses play a role in the development of liver cancer. As is known, liver cancer occurs against the background of liver cirrhosis, the occurrence of which is promoted by the 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. You can become infected with the hepatitis virus through blood or sexual contact. Therefore, be careful when injecting and treating wounds of patients with liver cancer if they have hepatitis viruses.

The presence of numerous papillomas on the body is a signal that a person’s immunity is weakened and there is a high risk of exacerbation of HPV - the human papillomavirus. As the results of scientific research have shown, every third woman on the planet becomes infected with HPV three months after the start 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.

The 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, but there are known cases of infection with the virus through papillomas located on the genitals and microdamages of the skin. Condoms do not protect against HPV, because the virus is so small that it easily penetrates through the pores of the rubber. If a woman is not infected with the virus, then the risk of developing the cervix is ​​minimized. Therefore, today vaccination against cervical cancer is actively promoted, which should be done for girls and young women from 10 to 25 years old. Once infected with HPV, it is too late to get the vaccine.

Few of us know that as a child he suffered from the Epstein-Barr virus. Meanwhile, 9 out of 10 people suffer from 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 a sore throat - mononucleosis, which is characterized by enlarged lymph nodes, dilation of the spleen and changes in blood composition. Very often, mononucleosis becomes chronic, which greatly increases the chance of malignant tumors of the lymph nodes and nasopharynx. The Epstein-Barr virus is transmitted through saliva and can be found in almost all people. In people with severe immunodeficiency, active reproduction of these viruses is one of the main causes of the development of lymphoma.

Documentary video - cancer diagnosis - stories about patients

Is cancer contagious?

Oncological diseases are undoubtedly one of the most frightening, mysterious and difficult to treat groups of diseases. In this regard, specialists are often asked whether cancer is contagious and how it is transmitted. Especially many such questions arise when news about medical confirmation of the viral nature of oncological pathologies once again appears in the media.

Is cancer a contagious disease?

In fact, journalists usually significantly distort facts in order to make catchy headlines.

Cancer is not contagious, it is not a virus that can be transmitted by airborne droplets, fecal-oral, parenteral, sexual or any other route. Also, the disease in question cannot be infected through direct or indirect contact; even a newborn child does not acquire cancer from the mother.

It is worth noting that the ability of cancerous tumors to pass from one person to another has been studied for a long time, from the beginning of the 19th century until today. During this time, many interesting experiments were carried out confirming the lack of contagiousness of oncological diseases. For example, the French doctor Jean Albert subcutaneously injected volunteers with crushed tissue of a malignant breast tumor. There were no negative consequences either for the experimental subjects or for the doctor himself, except for dermatitis at the injection site, which went away on its own after a few days.

American scientists conducted a similar experiment in the 70s of the 20th century. They tried to implant skin cancer tissue into volunteers, however, at the injection site, as in the case of Jean Albert’s experiments, only slight inflammation developed, and in only one patient.

Repeated attempts to infect people with a malignant neoplasm ended in exactly the same way, which completely refute the theory of cancer contagiousness.

In 2007, scientists in Sweden conducted a statistical analysis that examined the possibility of cancer being transmitted through blood. Among 350 thousand transfusions, approximately 3% of donors were diagnosed with various forms of cancer. However, not a single recipient suffered from a malignant tumor.

Is lung and skin cancer contagious to others?

The appearance of tumors in the lung tissue is provoked by smoking tobacco, inhaling toxic substances and radiation exposure. It is impossible to become infected with respiratory tract cancer by any of the available methods.

Malignant skin tumors develop against the background of degeneration of melanoma-dangerous moles. This can occur due to excessively long exposure to ultraviolet rays or mechanical damage to nevi. Accordingly, skin tumors are also not transmitted to other people.

Is stomach and rectal cancer contagious to others?

As in the situations described above, tumors of any organs of the digestive system are not contagious. Their appearance and progression can cause chronic disease of the gastrointestinal tract, long-term toxic damage, and mechanical injuries. It is important to note that in most cases the true causes of cancer remain unknown, but its safety in terms of transmission from one person to another can be completely confident.

Is liver cancer contagious to others?

As a rule, this type of oncology occurs in people who have abused alcoholic beverages and against the background of long-term developing cirrhosis of the liver. Often this form of cancer is combined with a history of hepatitis B or C, but this does not indicate the viral nature of the disease.

Thus, cancer is not a contagious pathology. Therefore, people suffering from malignant tumors need to be supported, not avoided.

Cancer diseases are rapidly spreading among the population, so people are worried about whether it is possible to get infected from a patient and how to prevent it. There is no doubt that cancer is dangerous, reduces survival rates and leads to death. In order to protect yourself from it, it is important to know why it occurs and how it is transmitted. Since the diagnosis of “carcinoma” existed, many studies have been conducted, but oncology has not come to a single conclusion about the pathogenesis of this disease.

Causes of cancer

There is no single theory for the development of pathological uncontrolled cell division. There are different variations in how a patient becomes infected or what triggers the pathological process. The following factors are identified that increase the likelihood of a malignant neoplasm:

• cases of cancer in close relatives;
• gene mutations;
• oncoviruses;
• contact with carcinogens;
• radioactive exposure;
• benign formations;
• chronic inflammatory processes.

The influence of several factors simultaneously significantly increases the risk of developing carcinoma.

Is it possible to get infected?

Numerous studies prove that cancer is not transmitted in any way, so contact with the patient can not be limited.

Oncological disease is not transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person by airborne droplets, blood or other liquids. This has been scientifically proven many times. French scientist Jean Albert conducted an experiment by injecting a tumor extract into himself and other healthy people. None of the test subjects got sick, which proves that cancer is not contagious. Even if you come into contact with a patient with stage 4 lung cancer with metastases, you cannot become infected. These patients are harmless to others despite having symptoms such as coughing and bloody sputum, which are not contagious.

When caring for a patient with cancer, you don’t have to worry about the transmission of atypical cells. It is impossible to get infected from a cancer patient through dishes and hygiene items. From person to person, only contagiousness has been proven in terms of gene mutations, namely in breast carcinoma. Defective genes have been discovered in women suffering from this pathology. Their daughters get sick many times more often than children of healthy women. Famous actress Angelina Jolie had her breasts removed to prevent the development of a tumor, because pathological genes were found in her chromosome set.

Contagious viruses that can cause cancer

There is a theory of pathological microorganisms that can cause a malignant process. These include:

• Helicobacter pylori;
• Epstein-Barr virus;
• causative agent of hepatitis B and C;
• human papillomavirus;
• mononucleosis virus.

The body contains microorganisms that trigger cancer processes if it is exposed to stress, such as fasting.

It is important to understand that the presence of these microorganisms does not mean that the infectious disease is transformed into cancer. These pathogens are capable of triggering the process of changing normal cells into atypical cells due to prolonged effects on organs. Helicobacter pylori can be infected through saliva, and more often through a kiss. Most healthy people have such bacteria. In case of malnutrition, alcohol abuse, or fasting, they are activated and trigger the development of gastritis, duodenitis, stomach and duodenal ulcers. The chronic course of these pathologies results in epithelial metaplasia and cancer.

Hepatitis B and C viruses and papillomas are contagious through sexual contact and through blood and skin surfaces. Oncology has proven the danger of these infections, since they quickly lead to disruption of normal cell function, which is fraught with the rapid occurrence of atypia. The virus itself is not oncological, because it is the cause of many pathological conditions and one can become infected without developing tumors. But if conditions arise for its growth and development, under their influence normal cells of the body mutate and cancer develops.

Experts clarify that it is false to assume that oncology appears out of nowhere. More often than not, his health depends on the life activity of the patient himself.

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 consult a doctor late, and when the process goes far, neither surgery, nor radiation therapy, nor chemotherapy will help. Oncologists discharge such patients home, recommending symptomatic therapy at home under the supervision of a local physician.

All the heaviness caring for cancer patients in this case falls on family members. The most important thing when caring for a patient 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 independently. Caring for a cancer patient requires a lot of patience and physical strength from relatives.

In some families for care They hire a nurse to look after a cancer patient, 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 this attitude of relatives, a kind of vacuum is created around the suffering patient; he is shunned, isolated, and his children and grandchildren are not allowed near him. Meanwhile, there is no evidence that a cancer patient can infect other people.

Relatives and friends can fear to care for a cancer patient, surrounding him with the attention, care and warmth that he now so needs. The tense state and anxiety of family members is easily transmitted to the patient. The friendly attitude of loved ones, combined with the right medications, can greatly improve the physical condition of a seriously ill patient with cancer.

In the history of medical practices There has not been a single case where doctors, nurses in oncology departments or relatives who cared for a cancer patient themselves became infected with this disease from them. A cancer patient is not contagious; simple contacts and communication with him do not pose any danger. But there are some types of viruses that can trigger the development of cancer in people with weak immune systems. It is not advisable to kiss someone with stomach cancer if you suffer from stomach ulcers or gastritis.

Scientists have proven that stomach cancer causes a microbe called Helicobacter pylori, which lives in the stomach of each of us. Helicobacter does not pose any danger to the healthy gastric mucosa, but at the site of prolonged 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.

Today it is known that viruses hepatitis C and B play a role in the development of liver cancer. As is known, liver cancer occurs against the background of liver cirrhosis, the occurrence of which is promoted by the 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. You can become infected with the hepatitis virus through blood or sexual contact. Therefore, be careful when injecting and treating wounds of patients with liver cancer if they have hepatitis viruses.

Availability of numerous papillomas on the body is a signal that a person’s immunity is weakened and the risk of exacerbation of HPV is high. As the results of scientific research have shown, every third woman on the planet becomes infected with HPV three months after the start 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 actively multiply 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, but there are known cases of infection with the virus through papillomas located on the genitals and microdamages of the skin. Condoms do not protect against HPV, because the virus is so small that it easily penetrates through the pores of the rubber. If a woman is not infected with the virus, then the risk of developing the cervix is ​​minimized. Therefore, today vaccination against cervical cancer is actively promoted, which should be done for girls and young women from 10 to 25 years old. Once infected with HPV, it is too late to get the vaccine.

Few of us know that he was ill as a child. virus Epstein-Barr. Meanwhile, 9 out of 10 people suffer from 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 a sore throat - mononucleosis, which is characterized by enlarged lymph nodes, dilation of the spleen and changes in blood composition. Very often, mononucleosis becomes chronic, which greatly increases the chance of malignant tumors of the lymph nodes and nasopharynx. The Epstein-Barr virus is transmitted through saliva and can be found in almost all people. In people with severe immunodeficiency, active reproduction of these viruses is one of the main causes of the development of lymphoma.

Last week, shocking information appeared in the media that the leader of the Dune group, Viktor Rybin, and his wife, singer Natalya Senchukova, are suffering from cancer. The spouses have the same diagnosis - skin cancer.

The news excited not only fans of the star couple, but also people completely far from pop life. Various conjectures and assumptions arose. First of all, about the viral nature of cancer. Is it possible that it really is contagious, like the flu? Such “revolutionary” versions appear in the press time after time. We decided to talk about this with the Deputy Chief Physician of the Republican Clinical Oncology Center, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Belarusian State Medical University Fagim Mufazalov.

– Fagim Fanisovich, the press is circulating information that singer Natalya Senchukova was the first to discover a strange spot on her skin and treated it on the recommendation of a dermatologist. Could she, after some time, “give” her husband the same disease?

– I would not put the question so categorically. Still, oncology is not syphilis. The couple suffered because of their excessive love of tanning. Lying for hours on the beach in the very sun in exotic countries, and even several times a year, plus regular sessions of a home solarium, naturally, did not pass without a trace. The musicians developed basal cell skin cancer. Let me note, the safest type of oncology. It responds perfectly to treatment, and everything heals without consequences within two to three months. This is not melanoma. Basal cell skin cancer is one of the types of skin aging. Just like a wart. By the way, basal cell skin cancer does not occur in young people at all. I suspect that the artists deliberately started a media hype in order to attract attention to their persons. Few people care about their work anymore, their former popularity has passed, so they artificially stir up interest in themselves.

“But they talked about the viral nature of cancer before this sensational case. I heard that doctors deliberately do not talk about this topic so as not to spread panic among the population.

– The viral theory of cancer was substantiated by our compatriot Lev Zilber long before American scientists in the 40s of the last century. And they first started talking about it at the beginning of the last century. It was Zilber who uttered the words that turned out to be prophetic: “Cancer is a disease of the genome.”

This has been proven, in particular, for liver cancer, which is caused by chronic hepatitis B and C viruses, and for cervical cancer (human papillomavirus). Diseases such as laryngeal cancer and some other urogenital malignant tumors can also occur with the participation of viruses.

– Parapsychologist Sergei Lazarev in his popular book “Diagnostics of Karma” writes that the cause of cancer is a deep, unforgiven resentment. For example, cancer of the breast, uterus, and ovaries is common among women, since they cannot forgive their husbands, former lovers, and, as a result, gynecological problems. What is the attitude of doctors towards such theories?

– Communicating with such patients, I noted that some of them actually suffered severe, prolonged stress against the backdrop of failures in their personal lives, which provoked the oncological disease. But this is only a part of women. But almost all patients diagnosed with cervical cancer had the human papillomavirus, which is a provoking factor in the development of oncology. And this has been proven. At the same time, not all people infected with this virus will develop cervical cancer, since the formation of a tumor after infection is delayed for years and decades. There are no exact statistics, but approximately more than half of those infected experience benign tumor pathology, while cancer develops in approximately 5% of women.

– How is this virus transmitted?

- Sexually. Vertically - from the pregnant mother to the child. By household means, if people use one washcloth.

– Is there really no antidote, such as vaccinations?

– Yes, and they are widely practiced in America. They are made not only for girls, but also for boys starting from 11 years old. There they are compulsory until the age of 26. Russia cannot yet afford this. According to preliminary estimates, vaccination will require about 17 billion rubles. But it must be practiced with caution. Because there are certain restrictions. The vaccine is given only to uninfected people. If the virus has already entered the body, then the vaccination will have no effect.

And one more important point. Vaccination is carried out strictly before the start of sexual activity! If vaccination is planned for a girl who is already sexually active, she must first be tested for HPV infection. If the test turns out to be positive, then you no longer need to deal with prevention, but with treatment of the infection.

In this regard, I want to give advice to parents. If you want to protect your children from cancer, get tested. Take a referral from your pediatrician and have your child get tested. And only after that make the right decision.

– Oncologists, when investigating the causes of the disease, usually refer to a hereditary factor. But I know many cases where in families the husband first gets sick with, say, lung cancer, and after some time the wife is diagnosed with stomach cancer. Spouses are not blood relatives. So, is cancer still contagious?

– I don’t think so and I can give a lot of examples when their own children took care of their sick parents for years and did not get sick. Everything is very individual. You see, cancer cells are present in any body. But up to a certain point, they lie dormant or, to be more precise, are effectively eliminated from the body due to the fact that they are blocked by healthy cells. There are many factors that provoke the development of cancer. This is stress, unhealthy diet, unhealthy lifestyle, heredity... Why a malfunction occurs in the body, the blockage does not work and cancer cells receive a signal to multiply intensively is still not clear. If one of the scientists manages to figure this out, then his discovery can certainly qualify for a Nobel Prize.

– Oncologists also get cancer. You can, of course, in their case, refer to stressful work, because they constantly have to deal with death. But if we draw an analogy, a psychiatrist gradually acquires the oddities of his patients, a phthisiatrician can become infected with tuberculosis, an oncologist with oncology...

– In Soviet times, there were statistics according to which among doctors, oncologists were the least likely to get cancer. But, as they say, there are lies, there are big lies, and then there are statistics... I don't believe in the contagiousness of cancer. Moreover, when I graduated from medical school in 1985, I firmly knew that I would connect my life with oncology, since I consider it one of the most interesting and important areas of healing. True, a few years ago, after losing my father, whose life was taken by oncology, I endured this situation with great difficulty. I admit, I was even planning to leave the profession. Other patients who were cured helped to get out of the psychological impasse.

For example, I have a patient in whose family three generations have been diagnosed with cancer in the female line. Seven of her close relatives died from it. Knowing her family history, the woman regularly underwent medical examinations. As it turned out, not in vain. At age 36, a mammogram revealed breast cancer. She was operated on and underwent radiation. But five years later, the cancer shot out again: metastases were discovered in the liver, then in the lymph nodes. The woman underwent several courses of chemotherapy and radiation. Six years have passed since then. The patient is in stable remission. He works, drives a car, and everything is fine in her personal life. Don't such examples inspire and force you to move on?

Our conversation with Professor Mufazalov lasted a long time - the topic of oncology is so broad and acute. We will talk about what types of cancer are the most dangerous, what are the cancer indicators in Bashkiria in comparison with other regions of Russia, and whether it is possible to protect yourself from this disease in the next article.