References to Putin’s cancer – what happens during chemotherapy

They are the clearest indication so far that the rumors are true: the leaked documents were intended for high-ranking Pentagon officials and apparently confirm that Vladimir Putin has cancer. The Russian President is said to have undergone chemotherapy on March 5th.

What happens during chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is one of the common treatment methods for cancer – usually in combination with other methods. It depends entirely on the type of tumor and how far advanced the growth is, whether physicians use chemotherapy – and also in what form.

Those affected receive medication, so-called cytostatics, roughly translated as “cell inhibitors”. They are available in tablet form or usually as an infusion. These stop the division and multiplication of tumor cells. It usually takes several cycles of treatment.

Goals of chemotherapy:

• to shrink the tumor and make it disappear if possible
• Cancer cells that have already “wandered” through the body should also be killed.

“However, the drugs also work against healthy cells: particularly fast-growing tissues such as skin, hair, mucous membranes and the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow are affected,” says the Experts from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) explain further. This explains the sometimes severe side effects. However, most of the side effects would disappear once the treatment ended.

You can find more here Information from the DKFZ on chemotherapy.

The long history of cancer rumors surrounding Putin

The rumors about the health of the president regularly boil up. Cancer is always a topic of discussion. only in November 2022 A Russian intelligence official told The Sun tabloid that Putin actually has Parkinson’s disease and pancreatic cancer. The British newspaper referred to emails from the man.

The insider wrote: “I can confirm he has early stage Parkinson’s. But the disease is progressing.” This fact is “denied and hidden in every possible way,” it said. “Putin is regularly pumped full of heavy steroids.”

Some experts see the use of steroids as an indication that the Russian President is suffering from severe pain. As medicines, steroids help against cancer, rheumatism and Covid-19, for example. Especially as cortisone, they have many positive effects. A puffy face can be a side effect.

According to the Kremlin insider, pancreatic cancer, which had just been diagnosed, could be the cause of the symptoms. However, this type of cancer is one of the most insidious. This is because it does not cause any symptoms for a very long time, which is why valuable time often elapses before it is diagnosed.

The assumption that the Russian President is suffering from cancer has persisted for years.

• In May 2022, the British “Mirror” reported on information from the FSB defector Boris Karpichkov. The former Russian intelligence agent is said to have said that Vladimir Putin “is suffering from a severe form of rapidly progressing cancer” and that doctors say he has “no more than two to three years to live”.
• “The Sun” had expanded the spectrum to include prostate cancer. There are rumors in Putin’s closest circle that prostate cancer has also been discovered in addition to pancreatic cancer.
• In April 2022 there was talk of thyroid cancer.
• As early as 2014, US media reported about an alleged pancreatic tumor.

Other diseases under discussion

Cancer is by no means the only disease Putin is said to have, according to some newspapers. Again and again there are theories about other diseases, for example:

Parkinson: The mental illness is regularly blamed for a certain rigidity in Putin’s movements. When asked by FOCUS online, however, experts saw no evidence of this. Günter Höglinger from the board of the German Society for Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders (DPG) had regularly viewed the videos of the Russian President.

“Gunslinger gait” is not an indication of Parkinson’s

“There are scientific works that assume that Putin’s movement problems are more of a trained thing,” Höglinger evaluated the first recordings with reference to a British study. In 2015, international researchers published a study in the journal “British Medical Journal” published. They analyzed YouTube videos showing the walks of high-ranking Russian officials, including Putin. It was noticeable that all of them consistently had a “reduced swing of the right arm”. The researchers then theorized that this gait may not have anything to do with paralysis, stroke or Parkinson’s disease. Instead, the gait could be trained. Possibly in weapons training or with the KGB secret service, for which Putin worked during the 1980s.

The trainees are taught to hold their right hand close to their chest when walking. “This allows them to quickly draw a weapon when faced with an enemy,” the work states. The authors dubbed this the “gunslinger walk.” The connection is plausible, but only an assumption and no proof that Putin actually does not suffer from Parkinson’s disease.

Strong pain: It is unclear whether Putin really has or had cancer. Some experts conclude that his physical condition has deteriorated in recent years, for example from the fact that his face and neck are clearly bloated in many recordings.

Rhetoric expert Michael Ehlers sees further indications of Putin’s pain in the often narrowed eyes, for example, his face was often contorted at the military parade. “Typical facial pain indicators,” judged Ehlers. Munich neurologist Hans Emmert told him the photos indicated that Putin could be suffering from cortisone acne, a skin condition caused by overuse of steroids.

Mental problems: In high doses, these steroids could lead to aggression and psychological changes, the so-called cortisone psychosis, which can lead to an overstimulated mood, Ehlers explains.

Kremlin keeps information under lock and key

None of these reports have been officially confirmed. The Kremlin has traditionally kept a low profile when it comes to the president’s health. How healthy or sick Putin really is is not known.