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Reduce the risk of cancer on prevention day

MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna invite you to Cancer Prevention Day on 15 February 2025, 9am to 1pm
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(Vienna, 30-01-2025) According to the WHO, 30 to 50 per cent of all cancers could be prevented by lifestyle measures, vaccinations or environmental factors. At this year's Cancer Prevention Day organised by MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna on 15 February 2025 from 9am to 1pm, interested persons can find out about prevention, early detection and vaccination as well as common cancers free of charge. As part of an HPV focus on this day, the HPV vaccination will be offered free of charge for young people up to the age of 30. Please register for the screening day at www.cancerschool.at

On 15 February from 9am to 1pm, the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) of MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna is hosting a cancer screening day in the Van Swieten Saal (1090 Vienna, Van Swieten Gasse 1a and online). The event will focus on cancer prevention, early detection and immunisation. Leading experts from MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna will be on hand to give talks and offer personalised advice to anyone interested. The event will take place in hybrid form and can also be attended online. "With this year's Cancer Prevention Day, we would like to draw particular attention to the fact that a healthy lifestyle, vaccinations and preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of cancer," explains Shahrokh Shariat, Head of the CCC Vienna.

Young people between the ages of 21 and 30 can get the HPV vaccination free of charge until 31 December 2025. ÖGGK's Health Mobile will be on site to offer this vaccination on the Cancer Prevention Day organised by MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna. Interested persons can visit this mobile health centre for free advice from doctors and get vaccinated without having to register. Further information and dates for the Health Mobil tour in spring can be found at www.oeggk.at/health-mobil.

Programme:
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Lectures and individual counselling by experts from MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna

  • Igor Grabovac: Fighting cancer with healthy behaviour
  • Monika Ferlitsch: Bowel cancer - gain many years with one examination
  • Elmar Joura: HPV vaccination - preventing six types of cancer
  • Johanna Krauter: Organised prostate cancer screening - prevention of the most common cancer in men
  • Clemens Aigner: Lung cancer - risk, prevention and treatment options  
  • Ruth Exner: Prevention of breast cancer - from early detection to individualised treatment
  • Robert Loewe: Skin cancer - prevention and early detection
  • Martin Schindl: Warning signals for the early detection of pancreatic cancer

Chair: Gabriela Kornek, Medical Director of University Hospital Vienna , oncologist

12 to 1 p.m.: HPV special: A vaccination against cancer
HPV (human papilloma viruses), which can cause genital warts, precancerous lesions and cancers in the genital and anal area as well as in the throat and pharynx, will be a focal point of the screening day. HPV affects women and men and is widespread. 85 to 90 per cent of all people become infected with HPV in the course of their lives - and these viruses can cause infections, skin and cell changes, particularly in the genital area. An infection usually heals and disappears within a few years. However, some infections persist unnoticed and can cause a variety of serious illnesses. The HPV vaccination provides well-tolerated protection against HPV infections. The vaccination reduces the risk of genital warts and cervical cancer by up to 90 per cent. It also reduces the risk of cancer of the throat, larynx, vagina, anus and penis. "Countries with a high vaccination coverage rate such as Sweden, Denmark and Scotland have eliminated cervical carcinoma and other cancers in people who have been vaccinated. All people under 30 who have not yet been vaccinated against HPV should take advantage of the free vaccination programme and get vaccinated by the end of the year. From 2026, adults (over the age of 21) will have to pay for the vaccination themselves again," says Elmar Joura from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Quitting smoking always pays off
Tobacco consumption is the most important risk factor for cancer and is responsible for 25 per cent of all cancer deaths. 9 out of 10 lung cancers are caused by smoking. Every cigarette smoked reduces life expectancy by 17 minutes for men and 22 minutes for women (or by around 20 minutes in total). ‘Not only is life lost, but also healthy life years, because a 60-year-old smoker has the same health profile as a 70-year-old non-smoker. So it always pays to stop smoking, even if you already have lung cancer,’ says Clemens Aigner, Head of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna. By stopping smoking, a person who smokes ten cigarettes a day can avoid losing 50 days of life per year. "If there is a high risk of lung cancer due to prolonged smoking, early detection through screening using computer tomography can reduce mortality from lung cancer by 24 per cent," says Aigner. The first countries in Europe have already introduced national lung cancer screening programmes, and there are local initiatives in Austria. There has also been progress in treatment: "In the early stages, lung cancer can be treated using minimally invasive surgical techniques and new drug therapies with very good long-term results," says Aigner.

Exercise, diet and alcohol
Insufficient exercise, an unbalanced diet, obesity and being overweight are associated with the occurrence of many types of cancer, such as oesophageal, bowel, breast, uterine and kidney cancer. "Physical activity can reduce the risk of cancer by ten to 40 percent, depending on the type of cancer and the intensity of physical activity," says Igor Grabovac from MedUni Vienna's Center for Public Health. This can also be linked to the reduction of obesity and overweight. If body weight is reduced and maintained at a recommended level, the risk of cancer is reduced by 40 to 60 per cent. Alcohol is also linked to cancer. Studies show that reducing alcohol consumption lowers the risk of oral and oesophageal cancer by around 40 per cent. Worldwide, one in 20 cases of breast cancer is caused by alcohol consumption.

Mammography for early detection of breast cancer
Cancers are often only recognised at an advanced stage. Screening and early diagnosis significantly increase the chance of a cure and a better state of health. Women between the ages of 45 and 74 can take part in the Austrian Breast Cancer Early Detection Programme, but only 41 percent take advantage of the early detection mammography service. "Prevention, timely diagnosis and comprehensive breast cancer treatment are the key factors in reducing breast cancer mortality," says Ruth Exner from the Department of General Surgery at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna.

Prostate cancer screening - prevention of the most common cancer in men
Prostate carcinoma is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. If detected early, the chances of recovery are very good and various treatment options are available for localised prostate carcinoma. This makes effective screening all the more important. Especially as the first step in prostate cancer screening is to determine the so-called PSA value (prostate-specific antigen) in the blood. In Austria, there is currently only opportunistic screening, which means that in practice, men usually go to their urologist for an annual (preventive) examination from the age of 60, during which the PSA value is also determined. "We know from studies that suboptimal use of the PSA value results in a risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment," says Shahrokh Shariat, who, in addition to the CCC Vienna, also heads the Department of Urology at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna. Instead, an organised (‘smart’) prostate cancer screening is recommended, in which men aged between 45 and 70 (or a further 10 to 15 years of age) receive an invitation to undergo PSA testing. Depending on the result, the interval to the next test is determined; if the PSA value is abnormally high, an MRI scan of the prostate is carried out. "The current study situation recommends a combination of PSA testing and MRI of the prostate in the event of an abnormal value, which can significantly reduce the risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. An organised screening programme, similar to that for breast cancer in women, is therefore essential for prostate cancer in men," says Shariat.

Gain many years with one examination
One in 17 people will develop bowel cancer in the course of their lives. The earlier the disease is detected, the better the chances of recovery. If the precancerous stages - benign growths (polyps) that can develop into malignant tumours - are detected, the disease is prevented from developing in the first place. This requires a precautionary colonoscopy, which is recommended for healthy people over the age of 45 every ten years. The colon is inspected using an endoscope. "Although suspicious polyps can be removed immediately and colonoscopy is very effective - according to a German study, preventive colonoscopy can reduce the mortality rate from colon cancer by 40 per cent - many people shy away from the examination. Only around 15 per cent of Austrians aged 45 and over take up the offer of screening," explains Monika Ferlitsch from the Department of Internal Medicine III. The mortality rate from colon cancer has recently fallen by 30 per cent, partly due to screening measures. 90 per cent of detected carcinomas have very good chances of recovery if they are discovered at an early stage.

Recognising the warning signs of pancreatic cancer at an early stage
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous types of cancer, as it is often only recognised at an advanced stage. On the occasion of Screening Day, health experts want to sensitise the population to early detection, as early diagnosis significantly increases the chances of survival. Early symptoms are often unspecific. The first signs of pancreatic cancer are often inconspicuous and can easily be confused with other diseases. Warning signs include unusual weight loss, persistent abdominal or back pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), changes in bowel movements (e.g. greasy stools), loss of appetite and nausea. "These symptoms should never be ignored. People with a family history or other risk factors such as smoking or diabetes in particular should seek medical clarification at an early stage," says Martin Schindl from the Department of General Surgery. Early detection saves lives: Diagnostic methods such as CT and MRI as well as blood tests can help to recognise pancreatic cancer at a treatable stage.