Cancer is no longer a death sentence: Nizhny Novgorod doctors report a decrease in mortality

      07 October 2025 14:02 Society

      More than 2,000 new cases of breast cancer are detected every year in the Nizhny Novgorod region. This was reported by the chief physician of the Scientific Research Institute of Clinical Oncology, Sergey Gamayunov, at a press conference at the NOIC.

      According to him, about 20,000 women are registered in the region, of whom 12,000 have been under observation for more than five years.

      "This indicates that the disease has ceased to be fatal. We are not afraid to detect it. We are afraid of detecting it at a late stage, when our options are limited. But even in such cases there is now the opportunity to treat our patients much more effectively," Gamayunov noted.

      Currently, approximately 90% of breast cancer patients are middle-aged and older women. Only about 150 of the more than 2,000 new cases annually occur in women under 40. According to the specialist, there is no basis for claiming that the disease is "getting younger."

      Gamayunov also confirmed that the overall number of cancer cases is increasing, but emphasized that this is due to improved quality of life.

      "The longer we live, the higher the probability of living to an oncological disease. The increase in the number of patients indicates that we have changed for the better. If previously life expectancy was around 50 years, it has now exceeded 70. At the same time, the goal has been set to reach 80 years," he explained.

      He added that modern diagnostic methods play an important role in the increased detection rate — mammography, ultrasound and MRI make it possible to detect neoplasms at early stages that might previously have gone unnoticed.

      "An increase in incidence is an indicator of the social development of society. We are also pleased with mortality rates — they are decreasing every year both in Russia and in the Nizhny Novgorod region. This is our key achievement," the doctor emphasized.

      In conclusion, he urged women to undergo regular check-ups and not to neglect prevention: early detection of the disease can save lives.

      Recall that in Nizhny Novgorod the social campaign "Bust-Bridge across the Volga: Against Breast Cancer" (18+) has been launched for the tenth time. As part of it, women can get a mammogram free of charge.

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