Asymptomatic cancer: how preventive health screening helps detect the disease in time.

      September 5, 2025 16:46

      [374]

      Society

      We often postpone taking care of our health: sometimes there isn’t enough time, sometimes laziness wins out, sometimes the very thought of a possible diagnosis is frightening. But it’s worth remembering a simple rule: “forewarned is forearmed.” The earlier a disease is detected, the higher the chances of successful treatment. Modern medicine offers a free and effective tool for this — dispensarization.

      Its main task is the early detection of diseases, including cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Russia and claims hundreds of thousands of lives every year. The danger is that in the early stages the disease may not manifest at all. A person feels healthy while the disease progresses. That is why dispensarization plays a key role: it makes it possible to detect a problem before symptoms appear and to save lives.

      Dispensarization is not a formality but a real chance to preserve health. To prove this — three stories in which a preventive examination helped people avoid serious consequences.

      Story one. A threat noticed in time

      A 60-year-old resident of Nizhny Novgorod visited City Polyclinic No. 4 for a scheduled dispensarization. In the examination room suspicious changes were found in his rectum.

      The patient was referred to an oncologist, where the diagnosis was confirmed — stage I rectal cancer. Within 10 days he underwent radical treatment. Thanks to early detection it was possible to stop the disease’s progression and preserve his quality of life. Today the man is under the supervision of an oncologist.

      The chief physician of City Polyclinic No. 4, Inna Pudova, notes:

      “Preventive measures are one of the main tools for the early and timely detection of chronic diseases. Dispensarization and preventive examinations, depending on sex and age, include many tests and are carried out free of charge under the Mandatory Medical Insurance (OMS) policy. We would like our citizens to use this tool more actively and to undergo dispensarization in a timely manner!”

      Story two. A quick solution to the problem

      A 43-year-old man was admitted to the Ardatov Central District Hospital for a planned hospitalization. On examination doctors discovered a growth on his tongue. He was sent to the second stage of dispensarization and then to the Nizhny Novgorod Oncology Center.

      In April 2025 the patient underwent radical treatment, preserving the organ and speech function. Thanks to this he quickly returned to work and his normal life.

      “Nowadays it is very important to undergo dispensarization. It is a set of measures that allows detection of various abnormalities in the body. A patient can come at any convenient time, undergo dispensarization and on the same day see a doctor. If the doctor finds any suspicions, they will schedule further tests or refer the patient to the necessary specialists. This requires a minimum of time and effort,” said the chief physician of the Ardatov Central District Hospital, Maria Kosterina.

      Story three. Victory without loss

      A 42-year-old resident of Dzerzhinsk during a preventive examination drew the doctor’s attention to swelling of the scrotum. He was referred for further testing to the Nizhny Novgorod Oncology Center, where testicular cancer was diagnosed.

      This type of cancer, with timely treatment, has an almost one hundred percent recovery prognosis. Follow-up tests confirmed a complete response to therapy. The man not only beat the disease but also preserved reproductive function.

      “Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Many cancers in their early stages progress without obvious symptoms. Regular screening examinations as part of dispensarization make it possible to detect skin cancer, stomach and intestinal cancers, breast and cervical cancers in women, prostate cancer in men, and lung cancer. Timely detection of oncological diseases plays a key role in successful treatment and in increasing the chances of recovery. We appeal to every resident: do not postpone taking care of your health and undergo dispensarization!” said the deputy chief physician of Hospital No. 2 in Dzerzhinsk, Irina Chernyatina.

      Today the first stage of dispensarization includes tests to detect the most common types of cancer:

      • oral cancer

      • skin cancer

      • thyroid cancer

      • breast and cervical cancer in women

      • prostate cancer in men

      • colorectal cancer (intestinal)

      Even at the initial stage it is possible to detect suspicious changes and refer the patient for further examination.

      You can sign up for dispensarization at your polyclinic, via the Gosuslugi portal, or by phone with the medical institution. The service is provided free of charge under the Mandatory Medical Insurance (OMS) policy.

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