Sverdlovsk: What to do if you can't see an oncologist

The Russian government has reduced the time for consultations with an oncologist: if cancer is suspected, the specialist must see the patient within three working days. These rules came into effect on 1 January 2026.

Journalists at a press conference at TASS-Ural asked Sverdlovsk oncologists how the region plans to meet these standards. After all, it typically takes 2–4 weeks to see a primary care physician. Without a referral, an oncologist will not accept a patient, and the oncologist will not refer for treatment without results of tests, CT scans, and MRIs, which also have waiting lists.

The chief physician of the Sverdlovsk Regional Oncology Dispensary, Evgeny Kiselev, responded that this requirement is not new; the state guarantees program is adopted every year, and such deadlines have been in place since 2022.

From suspicion of cancer to the initial oncologist appointment, no more than three working days should pass; seven working days are allowed for examinations from the day they are prescribed, and seven working days are allowed before treatment begins once a diagnosis is confirmed.

«The coverage of oncologists in local clinics is about 70%, so there is no major problem in getting to a district oncologist. The whole question is when a doctor suspects cancer and how quickly the primary care physician can refer the patient to an oncologist after further examination. The focus should be on screening methods, as they speed up all these procedures,» explained Evgeny Kiselev.

For example, if a fecal occult blood test is positive, the patient is referred for a colonoscopy within two weeks and undergoes the examination. In case of suspected cancer, the timelines for appointments and examinations are strictly defined.

If test or examination results show signs of cancer, the patient is referred for additional diagnostics at one of the 19 outpatient oncology care centers in the region.

«There, patients undergo almost all available diagnostic methods — endoscopy, biopsy, CT, MRI, practically everything except rare examinations such as fibrobronchoscopy and positron emission tomography. The examination should take seven working days, after which the set of documents is sent to the oncology dispensary, and we invite the patient for an appointment within two to three days to determine the treatment strategy,» explained Evgeny Kiselev.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a high-tech nuclear medicine method used to visualize functional and metabolic processes in body tissues.
Fibrobronchoscopy (FBS) is an endoscopic examination of the trachea and bronchi using a flexible tube with a video camera (fibrobronchoscope) to diagnose lung diseases.

The chief physician of the cancer center said there are situations when an oncologist is on vacation or not available at a particular clinic. In that case, any primary care physician or paramedic can send a request to the Sverdlovsk Regional Oncology Dispensary for a telemedicine consultation. Evgeny Kiselev promised that such a request would be processed within two days.

The Nenaprasno (Not in Vain) Medical Solutions Foundation developed the «Screen» test, which can give you food for thought and highlight possible risks. The project involved a team of oncologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, nutritionists, and doctors of other specialties.

In this text, you will learn how to suspect breast cancer. Previously, Margarita Magdalanova demonstrated symptoms on the breast that should alarm you: watch the video, it is important.