Introduction. According to the literature, the prevalence of oncological diseases in the world is more than 140 cases per 100,000 people. In the Russian Federation the incidence of this pathology is significantly higher than the global average. Cancer causes significant damage to the country's economy, which in 2015 reached more than 90 billion rubles per year, and by 2022, according to forecasts, may increase to 200 billion rubles. WHO experts predict a steady upward trend of cancer in the world. If at the beginning of the century, according to WHO experts, there were about 10 million new cases of cancer and more than 6 million deaths from it, by 2020 it was expected to reach 15 million cases per year, by 2050 - up to 24 million and 16 million deaths, then already in 2012 the number of cases reached 14 million, and in 2018 more than 18 million new cases of cancer and more than 9.6 million deaths from it. Objective: to study the status of prevention and early detection of cancers in the Russian Federation and abroad. Materials and methods: an analysis of domestic and foreign literature on prevention and early detection of malignant neoplasms was performed. Bibliographic and analytical methods were used. Results. In some regions of the Russian Federation, regional administrations and health authorities have approved regulations (orders and resolutions) "On the organization of work on early detection of cancers in the citizens of the Russian Federation". Under these regulations, additional financial resources are allocated to medical organizations for early detection of cancer in citizens upon completion of a confirmed case. Incentives have been approved for physicians involved in early diagnosis for each case of early detection of cancer. Some studies address cancer prevention, including direct screening of conditionally healthy people and identification of risk groups for cancer, as well as three levels of further prevention, from elimination of risk factors to prevention of recurrence among those cured at an early stage. Some studies show that, although screening for malignant neoplasms (MN) is currently one of the stages of health screening in the Russian Federation, the interaction between oncology and medical prevention services has not been regulated. Conclusion. It would be advisable for each constituent entity of the Russian Federation to develop cancer control programs, to carry out regular surveys of the population with the purpose of early detection of cancers and to develop the concept of a healthy lifestyle, of which regular medical checkups should be an integral part.