Russian actress dies after fighting brain cancer for years

Russian actress Anastasia Zavorotnyuk died on May 30 after years of fighting brain cancer.

The actress was 53.

"It's impossible to comprehend it and very difficult to find words. "Tonight, after a long and serious illness, our Nastya (Nastya is a short for Anastasia — ed.) has passed away,” her relatives said.

Zavorotnyuk was diagnosed with glioblastoma, or brain cancer, in early 2019. Before the diagnosis, she had complained of severe headaches. She also fainted several times when on the set, but no one initially attached any importance to all that.

In 2019, Zavorotnyuk underwent treatment at the European Medical Center. Afterwards, she was hospitalized in a Moscow clinic for the recovery of seriously ill patients.

In late 2023, the artist underwent another expensive treatment. In May 2024, shortly before her death, the actress's condition deteriorated.

Anastasia Zavorotnyuk was born on April 3, 1971 in Astrakhan. The actress, married to businessman Dmitry Stryukov, had a daughter, Anna (born in 1996). In 2018, the actress conceived with the help of IVF and gave birth to another daughter, Mila. Brain cancer was discovered after birth.

She was best known for her role in "My Fair Nanny” sitcom which aired on Russian television from 2004 to 2009. The artist admitted that she got into the project unexpectedly and did not expect to become famous. Zavorotnyuk also took part in "Dancing with the Stars” and "Marriage Games” programs.

Glioblastoma is a malignant tumor that appears in the brain or spinal cord. The tutor develops from auxiliary glial cells. They represent a framework of nervous tissue that provides support for nerve cells and their metabolism. Unlike neurons themselves, glia continue to actively divide and grow throughout a person's life.

Glioblastoma differs from other tumors in its rapid and extremely malignant course. It aggressively infiltrates healthy tissue and has no clear boundaries, which makes its complete surgical removal difficult.

This type of cancer most often affects men aged 40 to 60 years, but it also occurs in women and even children. However, this is a fairly rare disease. Glioblastoma is found in only 3-4 people out of 100,000. Patients usually live 12 to 18 months after diagnosis.