Society’s opinion on neoplastic diseases corresponds to its health behaviour. Oncological alertness displayed by a person aware of the risk of neoplastic diseases is a key factor to well-planned and implemented oncological education. The purpose of the survey was to gather the opinions of a selected group of adults on neoplastic diseases and to determine whether they have changed within 15 years. In 2012, a survey was carried out in a group of 85 civil servants employed in an office. The results were compared with a corresponding survey conducted in 1997 among a group of civil servants comparable in terms of social status. In the respondents’ opinions, neoplastic diseases are to be regarded as the most dangerous of diseases. Changes occurred in the awareness of the carcinogenic influence of smoking cigarettes and alcohol abuse. An increase was recorded in the awareness of the protective impact of proper vegetable and fruit supply, and the necessity to immediately see a doctor when suspecting a neoplastic disease. The number of opinions that neoplastic diseases are curable grew considerably (1997 – 40%; 2012 – 88%). Neoplastic diseases are much less often associated with death. The wrong conviction that diseases of this type can be contracted also changed. Despite the still very high level of fear of neoplastic diseases and the lack of ability to talk openly about this issue, an evident improvement can be noticed in the opinions on the curability of these diseases and the correlation between early diagnosis and curability of neoplasms.