The doctor urged not to wait for alarming symptoms to check the stomach and intestines.

Timely diagnosis can dramatically change the prognosis for such dangerous diseases as stomach cancer and colorectal cancer, which are often detected at late stages. Yevgeny Zelensky, the medical manager of Servier JSC, an immunologist, told Izvestia about this on World Cancer Day, which is celebrated on February 4.

The expert cited alarming statistics: in Russia, a quarter of cases of colorectal cancer and more than a third of cases of stomach cancer are detected already at stage IV, the latest stage.

"We must understand that the numbers are the fate of people who went to the doctor late. In the early stages, these diseases are curable, and in the later stages, there is a struggle for every month of life. The difference in the forecast is enormous," Zelensky stressed.

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According to the doctor, the main problem is that these cancers develop asymptomatically for a long time or disguise themselves as common digestive problems. People blame the discomfort on stress or poor nutrition, and the disease progresses. The key to salvation is an active position and regular checkups, without waiting for pain.

The specialist named colonoscopy as the "gold standard" for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer, which is recommended to be performed every 5-10 years starting from the age of 45-50.

"The procedure is performed under sedation, and its most important advantage is the ability to immediately remove precancerous polyps. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) is considered the main method for the prevention of stomach cancer," the doctor noted.

According to the expert, special attention should be paid to people over the age of 45, those whose relatives had cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as patients with chronic gastrointestinal diseases and unhealthy habits.

"Take one day for an examination today to preserve your health and life for many years to come. Modern diagnostics are not painful or scary. It's scary to miss time," the specialist concluded.

Svetlana Varfolomeeva, director of the Research Institute of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at the N.N. Blokhin National Research Medical Center of Oncology, said on February 2 that the survival rate for childhood oncological diseases in Russia as a whole exceeds 85%, and in some forms of cancer it reaches 98%. She added that in recent years, treatment technologies have become much more accessible, for example, total body irradiation before bone marrow transplantation has become a routine procedure for most patients.

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