All the chairs in the narrow corridor are almost filled, while the name and number are heard over the public address system offices. Another man just might hear what most people fear. Maybe he'll find out he has rak. Or, if he was dealt better cards - that the finding is benign.
Whatever he finds out, the very fact that he is in the premises of the Institute for oncology and the radiology of Serbia is already mentally difficult enough. If the diagnosis is still good, he will be happy, but aware of the fact where he is and that the current finding in itself does not mean that it will be the same in the future.
When the world turns upside down
If the finding is different, a long process follows.
When you get a C diagnosis, your world turns upside down. First knowledge, then knowledge and preparation for the treatment process, which is often uncertain. You follow each other for a moment, but often you don't have much time to stay in that phase. A series of questions follow in your head, what awaits you, how dangerous it is, what are your chances of recovery.
And in Serbia, more than 40.000 people face such scenes every year. At the same time, about 20.000 people die from cancer every year.
Lung, breast, colon and prostate cancer are still the most common forms of malignant diseases recorded in Serbia.
Photo: Tanjug/Zoran ŽestićIn Serbia, more than 40.000 people are diagnosed with cancer annually
Serbia in a bad European top
For years, Serbia has been among the European countries with the highest death rate from malignant diseases. According to data from the Institute for Public Health of Serbia "Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut", annually in Serbia diagnoses about 40.000 new cases of cancer, while more than 20.000 die from the consequences of this disease.
In Serbia, in 2024, 41.472 people fell ill from all malignant tumors, and 20.314 people died from cancer, according to an analysis published by "Batut".
As stated, men suffered from lung, colon, rectal and prostate cancer the most, and women from breast, lung, colon, rectal and cervical cancer.
In 2024, 6.424 people got sick from lung cancer and 4.842 died, 4.544 women got sick from breast cancer, and 1.700 women died, while 5.348 people got sick from colon and rectal tumors, and 2.543 people died.
Experts warn that such unfavorable statistics are not only the result of biological factors, but also late disease detection, insufficient coverage of preventive examinations, as well as long-term exposure to risk factors such as smoking, air pollution, improper diet and physical inactivity.
Although there are organized screenings for breast, cervical and colon cancer in Serbia, the response of citizens still remains below the European average, waiting lists for examinations are long, and many health centers do not have adequate equipment.
Early detection, prevention and screening - these words are the most important message on today's World Cancer Day, Director of the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Milan Žegarac, said in a statement for FoNet.
Žegarac believes that these measures are implemented in Serbia and that there are conditions for them. "We just need to influence people more persistently to show up for the examinations they are invited to", said Žegarac.
Fourth in mortality
According to estimates by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Serbia ranks among 40 European countries in the group of countries with a slightly lower risk of disease - it is in 33rd place and a high risk of dying from malignant diseases in Europe - in fourth place, after Hungary, Poland and Romania.
The report of the Swedish Institute for Health Economics (IHE), one of the last expert texts on this topic, indicates that one of the first and key steps to improve the situation in Serbia is the development of a modern National Cancer Registry, which would serve as a reliable source of relevant data for all actors involved in monitoring trends and making decisions in clinical oncology. This task requires time and long-term institutional commitment, given that existing data on cancer incidence and mortality must be further improved, the report states.
A global message of solidarity and prevention
World Cancer Day is celebrated every year on February 4, at the initiative and with the support of the international community World Health Organizations. The goal of this day is to point out the importance of prevention, early detection and treatment of malignant diseases, but also to reduce inequality in access to health care.
According to global estimates, as much as a third of all cancers can be prevented by changing lifestyle habits, while another third can be successfully treated if the disease is detected in time. Despite this, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the world, with more than 10 million deaths per year.
