Mortality from cancer is decreasing in the Vitebsk region

December 13, Vitebsk / Sergey Kotovets - BELTA /. In the Vitebsk region, mortality from oncological diseases in January-October decreased by 2.5% compared to the same period in 2009 and amounted to 200.7 cases per 100,000 population. This was announced today at a press conference by the chief physician of the regional clinical oncology dispensary, Anzhelika Tomchina, reports a BELTA correspondent. This positive trend has been observed for 10 years, and in recent years it has become pronounced, the chief physician emphasized. The decrease in mortality is due to improved early diagnosis and the use of modern treatment methods. Today, every third patient is cured. In addition, the prevalence of detected oncological diseases is decreasing, with patients diagnosed with stage 4 cancer accounting for about 12% of the total number of newly diagnosed cases. Among the positive trends, Anzhelika Tomchina also highlighted the increase in the number of patients registered for more than 5 years, their share in the total number of patients is 52.8%. At the same time, global trends of increasing oncological diseases are also characteristic of the Vitebsk region. Annually, the incidence of cancer in the region increases by 3.5%. Currently, more than 30,000 people are registered at the oncology dispensary, which is every 42nd resident of the region. In recent years, significant changes have occurred in the structure of morbidity. Skin cancer has taken first place, followed by lung and stomach cancer. For men, the problem of prostate cancer incidence has become more relevant, which has risen to third place in the structure of male oncological diseases. In 2010 alone, this oncological pathology increased by 37%. In the structure of female oncological morbidity, breast cancer ranks third. "This indicates, first of all, that every person needs to pay more attention to their health," believes Anzhelika Tomchina. According to her, the constant components of successful counteraction to oncological morbidity are adherence to a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, and regular preventive instrumental examinations. Visiting a doctor should become a family tradition. Also, for the prevention of oncological diseases, it is important to maintain a positive outlook on life. Each of us can and should constantly find something pleasant in the daily hustle and bustle, worries, and do everything with love, the chief physician is convinced. -0-