Import substitution against tumors. "Male" cancer is treatable

Prostate cancer has become the most common cancer among men in Russia and has become a social problem. But drugs have already appeared that show effectiveness in its treatment.

What are men afraid of?
Prostate cancer affects about 1.6 million men worldwide every year. Until recently, it was believed that a strong half of our country has the second most common malignant neoplasm after lung cancer. However, in 2023, it reached the 1st place in terms of prevalence and the 3rd place among the causes of cancer death and became a serious social problem.

This is what men are afraid of, perhaps most of all. And that's why they often postpone going to the doctors, even when bad symptoms have already appeared: it's scary to find out the diagnosis. This behavior is typical not only for Russians, but for men all over the world. It turns out that women get cancer more often, but the mortality rate for the stronger sex is higher. And this paradox is explained by the fact that men drag it out to the last, and when they do go to the doctor, they are diagnosed with cancer at an advanced stage.

Meanwhile, there is no need to be afraid. Modern medical science claims that it can control the development of prostate tumors. So, recently new drugs have appeared — androgen receptor inhibitors of the second generation. According to Maria Volkova, MD, Professor of the Savitsky Department of Oncology and Palliative Medicine at the Russian Medical Academy of Continuing Professional Education, the advent of second-generation antiandrogens has opened up new prospects in the treatment of prostate cancer, significantly improving the results of drug therapy.

However, until now, treatment with modern antiandrogens is associated with significant costs, since imported drugs are used, the prices of which are very high. In general, drug therapy for cancer patients is one of the most expensive items of expenditure in healthcare.

Domestic is cheaper

In 2024 alone, almost 23 billion rubles were allocated from the budget for treatment with imported antiandrogens. Due to the high cost of foreign drugs, not all patients can receive the necessary treatment in a short time. Meanwhile, the time frame for successful treatment of malignant neoplasms is crucial.

The first domestic second-generation androgen receptor inhibitor was presented at the XI St. Petersburg International Oncological Forum "White Nights 2025". It is intended for the treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive and non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and is 40% lower than its foreign counterparts.

At the same time, according to Kira Zaslavskaya, Director of new products at Promomed Group, a new drug is being produced in accordance with GMP standards for the full cycle — from the preparation of the substance to the release of tablets and final packaging.
Drug production has become an important area of import substitution, and in the market of anticancer drugs, as analysts note, this is especially obvious. In recent years, according to the Ministry of Health, more than a hundred domestic drugs used in antitumor therapy have been registered, including for melanoma, lung cancer and other types of cancer. Switching to domestically produced drugs is one of the most effective ways to get rid of import dependence and gain access to modern treatment methods for a larger number of patients in Russia, market researchers say.

1. Aif.ru