prof. Dr. Yavuz Özoran: “The most effective way of cancer prevention, early diagnosis and treatment”

Stating that cancer, which is the most important public health problem of our age, is increasing gradually, it ranks second among the causes of death after circulatory and respiratory system diseases. Dr. Yavuz Özoran said, “Cancer is a disease that causes economic, psychological and social problems for the patient and the environment, due to factors such as being lethal, causing disability, and high treatment costs, beyond being a public health problem. The World Health Organization envisages a 3-stage war plan in the fight against this disease that harms so many societies. The first of these is the promotion of cancer prevention methods through education, the second is early diagnosis and treatment, and the third is the rehabilitation of the patient. The most effective and most economical of these three stages is the method of protection.

“In 2020, 19.3 million new cancer cases were detected worldwide. It is estimated that this number will reach 30 million in 2040,” Özoran said, “However, not using cigarettes and alcohol, and not increasing the body mass index, which is proportional to body weight, can prevent the development of cancer by 1/3. Cancer is a genetic disease that occurs with uncontrolled overgrowth. But only 5-10 percent of cases are hereditary. For early diagnosis and treatment, early clinical signs of cancer should be taught to the society.

These; hoarseness and cough of unknown cause, bloody sputum, bloody stools and urine, bleeding from genital areas, pain, palpable immobile hard mass development and non-healing wounds. In both sexes, general health checks should be made starting from the age of 50, and if there is a family history of cancer, the age of control should be earlier than the age of control. In case of these findings, the doctor should be consulted immediately and the tests recommended by the doctor should be applied. In rehabilitation, which is the last stage, it is aimed to improve the quality of life of disabled patients due to cancer and to gain the skills they need. 3.7 million lives could be saved each year by developing appropriate strategies for cancer prevention, early and treatment. 70% of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. The economic cost of cancer to the world is estimated to be 1.16 trillion USD.