A 10-year survival of 3482 lung cancer patients residing in Tomsk region was studied. Based on the populationbased cancer registry data, the observed, corrected and relative survival rates were calculated by the actuarial method taking into consideration age, sex, disease stage and place of residence of the patients. Survival rates were lower in males than in females: the difference in the overall observed survival (OS) rate was from 5.1 % (8-year OS) to 7.3 % (2-year OS). An inverse relationship between survival and cancer spread was observed. Survival rates were higher for urban populations than for rural populations. The analysis indicated that most lung cancer cases were diagnosed at an advanced stage. Survival rates demonstrated relatively equal levels of cancer care in different regions of Russia. When comparing survival rates in Tomsk region with those in Europe and the USA, it was shown that one-year survival was lower in Tomsk region than in Europe and the USA, thus indicating more effective cancer screening programs in European countries and the USA.

The purpose of the study was to develop more effective fractionation regimens and radiation therapy programs in the treatment of infiltrative low-grade gliomas (WHO grade II). Material and methods. The study included 53 patients with morphologically verified supratentorial infiltrative low-grade gliomas (WHO grade II). Diffuse astrocytoma was diagnosed in 35 (66 %) patients, oligoastrocytoma in 7 (13 %) patients and oligodendroglioma in 11 (21 %) patients. Results. The overall survival (OS) was influenced by fractionated radiotherapy regimens (conventionally fractionated versus hypofractionated radiotherapy) (p=0.000) and type of radiotherapy (3D conformal versus 2D radiotherapy) (p=0.023). Multivariate analysis showed a statistically significant difference between the equivalent total dose (LQ-model) and OS (p=0.068). Risk factors proposed by the Association of Russian oncologists (р=0.947) and the extent of surgical excision (р=0.423) had no significant impact on the overall survival. Conclusion. Conventionally fractionated radiation therapy (2 Gy per fraction daily) significantly improved the OS compared to hypofractionated radiotherapy (3 Gy per fraction daily). The value of α/β ratio=6.8 Gy can be used to calculate the total dose using a linear-quadratic model.

A new generation of aromatase inhibitors and target therapy directed at cycline-dependent kinases 4 and 6 gives a new opportunity to treat metastatic breast cancer. However, the cost of innovative therapy remains high. We present results of the cost-consequence analysis of combination therapy with fulvestrant and palbociclib compared to fulvestrant monotherapy or combination of exemestan and everolimus as a second-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer. It was shown that the combination therapy involving palbociclib increased the length of quality-adjusted life by 191 days and overall survival by almost a year. The use of palbociclib increased the length of quality-adjusted life by 0.06 QALY compared to the combination arm consisting of everolimus. The cumulative 10 year cost per patient was equal to 5.3 million rubles for combination therapy with palbociclib and 3.5 million rubles for combination therapy with everolimus.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most unfavorable malignancies. Approximately 20 % of patients with pancreatic cancer have resectable disease at the time of diagnosis, however the prognosis of the disease in these patients remains poor, and the overall 5-year survival rate is only 5 %. The evaluation of morphological features, as well as features of the expression of markers that determine the invasive potential of such neoplasms, can serve in the future as a fundamental basis in solving problems concerning prognostic factors in pancreatic cancer. The purpose of the study was to evaluate morphological and immunohistochemical features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Material and methods. The study included 84 patients with stage T1–4N0–2M0–1 pancreatic cancer. The age range was from 37 to 83 years. Surgery was the main treatment option. Morphological examination of surgical specimens showed that the tumor histotype corresponded to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The preparation of histological specimens and immunohistochemical staining were carried out according to standard procedures. Results and conclusion. This study allowed us to determine the features of tumor morphology, as well as the features of expression of markers associated with more pronounced invasive properties of the tumor. The results of this study may be of interest in terms of their further comparison with the parameters of various forms of progression in pancreatic cancer. 

Differences in the rate constants of specific interactions between serum tumor M2-pyruvate kinase (Tumor M2-PK) and highly specific monoclonal antibodies deposited on the surface of biochips were found in colorectal cancer patients using surface plasmon resonance enhanced ellipsometry. Scanning ellipsometry revealed a significant increase in the biomolecular layer thickness caused by antigen-antibody reaction in patients with hepatic and extra-hepatic metastases compared to that in healthy subjects (p<0.001–0.042).The specificity of the interaction was confirmed by fluorescence optical spectrometry. The Raman spectra of serum samples revealed differences in the intensity of peaks appeared at 1005–1520 cm-1 in the same groups of patients (p<0.0001–0.05) with a predictive accuracy of 90 % for early-stage disease. The pilot experiments with a nanowire biosensor based on SOI (silicon on insulator), for example Tumor M2-PK, were carried out. High sensitivity (10-13–10-15M) and specificity in identifying antigens in serum samples of patients with colorectal cancer were demonstrated. The results obtained were useful for detecting early-stage disease, metastases and recurrence as well as for monitoring the quality of treatment in colorectal cancer patients. 

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of polysaccharides Tussilagofarfara L. on erythroid sprout hematopoiesis, tumor growth and metastasis in mice with Lung cancer-67 during therapy with cisplatin and etoposide. It was found that the use of polysaccharides reduces myelosuppression induced by cytostatics of erythroidal sprout hematopoiesis and leads to increase anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effect of chemotherapy.

To predict the development and clinical course of squamous cell head and neck carcinoma (SCHNC), we studied the level of protein phosphatase 1B (РРМ1В) using the proteomic analysis. Verification of the results of proteomic analysis by ELISA showed that the level of РРМ1В in blood serum of patients with SCHNC depended on the disease stage. The level of РРМ1В in the blood serum of patients with stage T1N0M0 cancer was higher than that observed in the control group and in patients with chronic hyperplastic laryngitis. In tumor tissue, the level of РРМ1В was associated with the size of the primary tumor and the presence of metastases. In tumor tissue, the level of РРМ1В was also higher in patients with stage T1N0M0 than in patients with chronic hyperplastic laryngitis. The data obtained indicate that the level of РРМ1В can be used for early detection and prediction of the clinical course of SCHNC. Further studies with larger cohorts of patients are required to evaluate the prognostic significance of the РРМ1В level.

Background. Glioblastoma (GBM) is a high-grade primary brain tumor characterized by resistance to modern treatment modalities. Intraoperative fluorescence-guided resection using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is one of the most innovative techniques to improve the local control rate in GBM surgery. Objective: to assess the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 5-ALA fluorescence- guided resection (5-ALA-FGR) in patients with GBM. Material and methods. Surgical outcomes of 5-ALA-FGR in patients with GBM were studied in a meta-analysis of clinical series published from 2000 to 2017. Results. The meta-analysis included 26 studies. Gross total tumor resection was achieved in 74.8 % of patients (95 % CI: 67.4–83.5 %). The use of 5-ALA-FGR increased the disease-free survival time in patients with GBM by an average of 8.14 months (95 % CI: 4.36–12.02). The difference in the overall survival of GBM patients in favor of 5-ALA-FGR was 4.35–6.17 months (95 % CI: 0.9–13.23). The specificity and sensitivity of 5-ALA-FGR was high, being 86.6–87.5 % (95 % CI: 81.6–91.7) and 79.8–82.2 % (95 % CI: 73.5–91.07), respectively. Conclusion. The meta-analysis of 26 clinical series showed the high sensitivity and specificity of 5-ALA-FGR. Moreover, the use of 5-ALA-FGR in GBM was reported to increase the disease-free survival and the extent of surgical resection in patients with GBM.

Melanoma is one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer. Aggressive growth with a high risk of distant metastasis is the cause of the high death rate from skin melanoma worldwide. Melanoma that has metastasized beyond the lymph nodes requires more aggressive treatment. The standard treatment modalities including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are not very effective for most patients. The aggressive nature of this disease sustains an urgent need for more effective treatment methods. Immunotherapy is currently one of the most promising approaches for fighting cancer cells. The review analyses the main immunotherapeutic approaches to melanoma treatment, including therapeutic vaccines based on tumor cells, synthetic peptides and polyepitopic immunogens. Many of these vaccines are currently being studied in various clinical trials.

Objective. We aimed to systematically review the literature dealing with the epidemiology, classification, clinical course, diagnosis and treatment of thymoma. Material and methods. We reviewed retrospective and prospective randomized trials using Medline and Elibrary databases. Results. The classification system, prognostic factors, paraneoplastic syndromes and their incidence in patients with thyoma were described. The diagnostic value of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography was evaluated and the methods of morphologic verification were described. The main attention was paid to multimodality treatment of thymoma, including surgery and intraoperative radiotherapy. Conclusion. Thymoma is a rare tumor. The accumulation of long-term follow-up results prompted the changes in clinical management of thymoma. Predisposition to late recurrence even after radical surgery determined multimodality treatment strategies.

The BRCA1 5382insC and CHEK2 1100 delC mutations were analyzed in 3850 of non-selected breast cancer patients residing in Novosibirsk region, Russia. One hundred seventy probands, BRCA1 5382insC or CHEK2 1100delC mutation carriers, were found. The study demonstrated that more than 80 % of probands informed relatives about their hereditary or familial cancer risk. Fifty-nine BRCA1 5382insC and CHEK2 1100 delC mutation carriers were found among 144 proband’s relatives. Mutation carriers or their relatives were interviewed two years after starting the project. At least 18 % of the mutation carriers reported primary tumor or recurrence of the tumor 2 years after starting the project.

Background. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. The tendency towards increased incidence of colorectal cancer in Tomsk region correlates with World and Russian tendencies. The purpose of the study was to analyze the incidence rate of colorectal cancer in Tomsk region. Material and methods. The study was based on cancer register data collected at the Cancer Research Institute and Regional Cancer Center (Tomsk) and covered the period 2005 по 2015. Demographic data were obtained from local authorities and government statistics. Results. In Tomsk region, colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer. During the study period (2005–15), the incidence rate of colorectal cancer increased by 39.9 %. The highest incidence rates were observed in patients aged 55 years and older. The median age of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2015 was 56.3 years. The female and male median age showed a decreasing tendency. In 2015, the colorectal cancer incidence rate in both females and males was the highest among the territories included into the Siberian Federal Region, being 30.9 per 100,000. The rate then stabilized in females, but tended to increase in males. The cumulative risk of developing cancer among the population of Tomsk region had increased, being 7.9 in 2015 compared to 6.5 % in 2005. The cumulative risk of developing cancer was higher in males than in females (10.1 % versus 6.9 %). A specialized care to patients with colorectal cancer over a 10-year period has improved, however one-year mortality rate remains high. The study has shown that screening programs based on the detection of occult blood in the stool are not specific enough. Colonoscopy using high-resolution endoscopy and narrow beam imaging (NBI) are recommended to use as a screening method for the detection of precancerous diseases of the colon.

Background. Osteosarcoma is a high-grade malignant bone tumor that accounts for up to 6 % of all bone neoplasms. There are only a few published cases of primary sternal osteosarcomas, reflecting the rarity of these tumors. Recently, there has been a growing interest in performing radical excisions of chest wall tumors followed by combined single-stage reconstruction of the rib cage with implants made of biologically compatible materials. Material and methods. We present the case of a 49-year-old woman diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the sternum. The patient received a combined modality treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. Titanium nickelid implants were used for the reconstruction of chest wall defects. Results. The multimodality treatment with reconstruction of postoperative chest wall defects allowed the achievement of the optimal quality of life for 21 months in the patient with very poor prognosis. Conclusion. The chest wall reconstruction using biocompatible materials from titanium nickelid appeared to be an effective and safe technique for the treatment of chest wall tumors.

Cancer cells with the loss of BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 function are unable to repair DNA double-strand breaks and demonstrate the increased sensitivity to various DNA-damaging agents. We aimed to describe successful treatment outcomes in two patients with BRCA1-associated ovarian cancer, who showed a complete clinical response to radiotherapy in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy. The progression-free survival was 11 months in one case and 8 months in another case.

Paraneoplastic neurological syndrome involves the concurrent development of cancer and neurologicaldiseases. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer associated with paraneoplastic damage to the central and peripheral nervous system. Autoimmune genesis of the disease is characterized by the presence of highly specific onconeural antibodies, which selectively affect neurons in the brain cord, spinal cord and spinal ganglia, and cause the onset of neurological symptoms within 2 years before cancer is detected. Six well-characterized onconeural antibodies detected in the blood serum of breast cancer patients can be used for the laboratory diagnosis of paraneoplastic neurological syndrome. Of them, anti-Hu, anti-CV2 and anti-amphiphysin antibodies cause polyneuropathy most often. Anti-Yo antibody is usually associated with cerebellar degeneration. Multiple neuronal autoantibodies can be simultaneously detected in a patient. Removal of the tumor may lead to stabilization and even partial regression of the neurological symptoms in 70 % of patients. Therefore, the surgical treatment of cancer should consider not only the tumor extension, but also the severity and progression of neurological deficit. We present a case of paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration and paraneoplastic polyneuropathy in a 50-year-old woman with the neurological symptoms appeared 5 months before breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma was detected. The current approaches to the diagnosis of paraneoplastic neurological syndrome, as well as feasibility of radical removal of the tumor due to progression of neurological deficit were discussed.