Andrey Kaprin: any step in the fight against cancer is important

On October 14, 2019, a press conference dedicated to the World Breast Cancer Day was held at the Izvestia press center. It was attended by Andrey Dmitrievich Kaprin, Chief Oncologist of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Director General of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “NMIC of Radiology” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, and Daria Dontsova, a public figure, writer, who defeated breast cancer. The chief oncologist received a lot of questions about risk factors, methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this type of cancer.

Andrey Kaprin told reporters that breast cancer is still one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. According to The Global Cancer Observatory (GCO), 2,088,849 new cases of breast cancer were registered worldwide in 2018. In Russia, the incidence rate in 2018 was 71,426 cases. He noted that the increase in the incidence of breast cancer over the past 5 years amounted to 259,981, which also indicates an improvement in the detection system of this disease.

Andrey Kaprin recalled that in the Russian Federation there is a screening system that includes studies for cancer of the most common nosologies in terms of morbidity – breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer (in women) and prostate cancer (in men). He stressed that only in Russia and Japan, the earliest screening for breast cancer has been established – mammography, which begins to be carried out from the age of 40 in order to reach as many women as possible and detect malignant disease at an early stage. Oncoscreenings are included in the medical examination program, which is carried out once every three years from the age of 18, and annually from the age of 40.

According to the chief oncologist, the state has done a lot to preserve the health and life of our women. – And now, our joint task of doctors, public figures, and, of course, the media is to teach women to follow simple rules of prevention and to be screened on time, – said Kaprin.

Also, Andrey Dmitrievich spoke about the “gold standard” methods of breast cancer diagnosis. It includes: mammography (in women over 40 years old), including tomosynthesis, ultrasound of the mammary glands, trepan biopsy of breast formation, histological examination, immunohistochemical examination. According to the academician, if necessary, an MRI of the mammary glands is performed, in the case of lobular carcinoma, multifocal and multicentric tumor growth and a genetic study for the presence of mutations in the genes BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2.

Answering questions from the leading press conference about how the screening program is being implemented in the regions of our country, Kaprin stressed that thanks to the initiative of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, the regions are well equipped with mammographs, including mobile, and ultrasound machines.   – In addition, a remote counseling program is being actively implemented now – a system of reference centers is working, which, in the mode of round-the-clock telemedicine consultations, help in difficult cases when a doctor in the region needs a “second opinion”.

Speaking about the treatment of breast cancer, Andrey Dmitrievich said that it has become organ-sparing with the active introduction of oncoplastic surgery, targeted drug therapy, new types of precision high-power radiation therapy. All these methods have significantly reduced the number of complications and disability of women.

Press Service of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “NMIC of Radiology” of the Ministry of Health of Russia