Today - World Cancer Day

BAKU/04.02.14/TURAN : February 4 is World Cancer Day . In many countries, there is a state program to counter this disease.

In Azerbaijan, there are no such undertakings, but the Rector of the Medical University, MP and Academician Ahliman Amiraslanov told Turan that this document is being prepared . "The program requires a comprehensive approach and depends not only on doctors and the Ministry of Health . It should reflect diagnosis and treatment , prevention, protection of the environment, the fight against smoking, balanced diet and lifestyle of people. According to him, at the level of university and parliamentary committee they have conducted monitoring and coordination , however, to bring the document to the government is a matter of time," he says.

Unfortunately, there has not been developed even a table of foods that may in certain proportions and conditions lead to the formation of malignant tumors. There is no exact number of cancer patients, however, according to the chief oncologist of Azerbaijan Azad Kerimli , resulting in a field diagnosis in May and September 2012 in 10 districts there were identified 10,000 patients on the 1st and 2nd stage. Taking into account not identified patients 3rd and 4th stage , as well as the capital, where cases of diseases are more because of increased population density and bad environment , the number of cancer patients can reach 100 thousand people.

Large proportion of patients is also registered in the western and southern economic region , where the population is engaged in vegetable growing and is all the time in contact with chemical fertilizers. Southerners widely use oil imported from Iran in metal cans, which plays an important role in the spread of cancer.

In addition, in the country there is a shortage of specialists in histology , and without histological examination registration of cancer patients is not maintained in principle.

The state should provide free ( in the budget for 2013 more than AZN 40 million was allocated for this purpose) drugs that are needed for chemotherapy, but in the cancer center there were cases of transfer of a package of drugs for 100 manats.

If a patient sees the doctor at an early stage of the disease, in terms of Azerbaijan it is also possible to completely cure the illness, especially as new equipment has been delievered and there are conditions for the treatment of cancer. Along with the National Center of Oncology and Children's Cancer Center in Baku, in seven regions of the country there are oncology clinics . These centers are provided with modern equipment and medicines .

To prevent disease preventive measures are needed , especially for women after 35 years - they should have a mammogram because it is the most modern and accurate examination method for detecting breast cancer. Unfortunately, in the provinces of Azerbaijan unenlightened people bring the disease into a critical state , and it's not their fault - the government is obliged to carry out educational activities.

The World Health Organization in its latest report concludes that over the next 20 years the number of cancer cases will increase by 70%. The number of new cancer cases per year will increase from 14 million in 2012 to 25 million and the main spread of the disease will take place in low and middle income countries . - 17D-