Cancer Prevention Discussed at 'Lampa' Festival

The "Lampa" conversation festival in Cēsis hosted a discussion titled "What to do to protect yourself from cancer?" The event delved into the effectiveness of cancer screening programs and the role genetic testing plays in assessing risk. It also explored whether knowledge of inherited predispositions provides a sense of security or increases anxiety.

Participants also examined radical prevention options, such as organ removal in specific cases. The discussion addressed the often contradictory narratives surrounding individuals who live long lives despite unhealthy habits, and those who develop cancer despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The aim was to foster a pragmatic and evidence-based understanding of cancer prevention.

The conversation featured a panel of experts, including Marta Augucēviča, project manager at the Center for Breast Diseases at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital. Other participants included Anda Ķīvīte-Urtāne, director and associate professor at Rīga Stradiņš University's Institute of Public Health; Inita Sila, author and chairwoman of the "Courage Genes" foundation; Arvīds Irmejs, a breast surgeon and oncologist; Daiga Mūrmane, a medical geneticist from Rīga East Clinical University Hospital; and Elīna Dimiņa, director of the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The "Lampa" festival, now in its twelfth year, is a platform for open and respectful exchange of ideas, aiming to strengthen the culture of democracy, discussion, and respectful conversation in Latvia. This year's central question for the festival was "What should not be talked about?"