Measures for primary prevention of cancer following the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine “On Prevention, Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Malignant Tumors”
Nowadays, Ukraine is experiencing negative trends in the incidence of cancer, which leads to premature mortality of the Ukrainian population from malignant tumors. The problem of rising cancer incidence is a national security issue, as defined by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Therefore, developing a set of measures to prevent cancer is necessary.
The issue of primary cancer prevention, which aims to prevent the development of cancer by avoiding exposure to carcinogenic factors of both anthropogenic and natural origin, remains virtually unresolved in Ukraine. There is also a limited scientific basis for the role of a healthy lifestyle in preventing cancer.
The Laboratory of Hygiene Carcinogenic Factors and Nanomaterials of the State Institution “Marzieiev Institute for Public Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine” is constantly addressing the issues of primary cancer prevention, which are emphasized by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine “On the Prevention, Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Malignant Tumors” (introduced by the Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 842/2023 on 22.12.2023).
In particular, there are developments in the field of developing regulatory and methodological documents for assessing the risk of carcinogenic factors for the population as a basis for determining the risks of developing cancer and justifying the selection of population groups for preventive screening of tumors:
- The Hygienic Standard “List of Substances, Products, Production Processes, Domestic and Natural Factors Carcinogenic to Humans” was prepared, which includes a list of 540 carcinogenic compounds and 12 production processes (approved by Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 1054 dated 20.06.2022);
- developed “Methodological Recommendations for Determining Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Risks of Air Pollution in Populated Areas” (approved by Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 1811 of October 18, 2023) and “Methodological Recommendations for Determining Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Risks of Air Pollution in the Workplace” (approved by Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 358 of March 2, 2024);
- the revision of the sanitary standards for the permissible content of carcinogenic substances in the atmospheric air of populated cities and the air of the work area based on the carcinogenic risk criterion following EU requirements is being finalized.
In the field of environmental protection, work has begun on:
- Determination of territorial features of carcinogenic risk formation due to the complex intake of priority carcinogenic factors into the human body from atmospheric air and food products and justification of preventive measures;
- Studying the impact of soil contamination, as a result of military operations, of agricultural areas and food crops grown there on the formation of carcinogenic risk with justification of preventive measures;
- Improvement of methods for industrial control of the content of organochlorine compounds in drinking water and water from surface water sources and development of proposals to ensure carcinogenic safety and quality of drinking water.
In the area of healthy lifestyle, we have planned:
- Studying of age, territorial, and occupational peculiarities of adherence to a healthy lifestyle, rational nutrition, and physical activity among different population groups;
- Development of preventive anticarcinogenic diets;
- Popularization of knowledge among the population;
- Studying of the peculiarities of carcinogenic effects on the body of children, adolescents, and adults of different types of smoking; control of the content of carcinogenic and toxic substances in smoking products (both tobacco and non-tobacco); comparative assessment of their carcinogenic hazard.
In the field of production activities, it is necessary:
- Carrying out an inventory of carcinogenic substances in workplaces with hazardous working conditions, first of all, in production processes classified as definitely carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer;
- Studying of carcinogenic risks from emissions from carcinogenic industries.
State Institution “Marzieiev Institute for Public Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine“
Laboratory of Hygiene Carcinogenic Factors and Nanomaterials
(published on the website on July 18, 2024)