The paper considers the current approaches to the diagnosis and surgical treatment of primary and recurrent non-organic retroperitoneal tumors and analyzes treatment policy errors leading to pilot and inadequate surgical interventions for this abnormality. Major factors for the prediction of the course of the disease and risk factors for its recurrences are found. The role of cytoreductive and repeat surgeries for persistent recurrences is estimated.

The paper analyzes the results of treatment in 29 patients with retroperitoneal lipomas (n = 5) and liposarcomas (n = 24). Among the patients with retroperitoneal lipomas, there were 3 patients with primary tumors and 2 with recurrent ones. There were 16 patients with primary liposarcomas and 8 with recurrent ones. Surgical treatment was performed in 26 patients. The survival rates after surgical treatment in patients with retroperitoneal lipomas varied from 3.5 to 17 years. Of them, 4 patients were reoperated on for tumor recurrences. After surgical treatment, recurrent liposarcomas were noted in 12 patients, 10 of them underwent radical surgery. The survival rates after surgical treatment in patients with retroperitoneal liposarcomas varied from 8 months to 12 years.

The results of treatment were analyzed in 34 patients with pelvic bone tumors. Extensive surgical treatment was performed as interiliac-abdominal exarticulation or amputation in 9 (26%) patients; pelvic bone-preserving surgery was made in 25 (74%) patients. Resections of the anterior or posterior pelvic semiring were carried out in 7 (28%) and 18 (72%) patients, respectively.Disease progression was diagnosed in 10 (29%) patients; 6 patients died at 6 to 16 months; 28 (82%) were alive with no signs of progression of the underlying disease at 4 to 46 months. Overall, the functional outcome of surgical treatment was rated as excellent in 17 (50%) patients, good in 8 (24%), and satisfactory in 4 (12%). Nine (26%) patients had a poor anatomic and functional status. Postoperative complications were diagnosed in 9 (26%) patients.

The paper gives the results of comprehensive examination in 57 patients with space-occupying lesions of the pancreas, which have been used to propose a diagnostic algorithm that allows malignancies of the pancreatic head to be verified with a high probability.

Lymph node metastasis-negative (N0) cases were immunohistochemically studied on paraffin-embedded tissue sections with antibodies against epidermal cytokeratin components, such as Keratin, Pan Ab-1 (Clone AE1/AE3). Micrometastases were found in 18.8% of lymph nodes N0 cases (109/580). There was a reduction in relapse-free survival in patients with lymphogenic micrometastases (p = 0.17).

The authors give their experience in treating 62 patients with breast cancer undergoing organ-saving operations and radical mastectomies with one-stage TRAM-flap reconstruction. They describe secondary plastic surgeries and anterior chest wall defect closure by means of a TRAM flap after extensive radical mastectomies.Indications for TRAM flap use are defined and complications analyzed.

Whether the skeleton of natural corals (NC) of the Acroporidae family could restore bone tissue defects after surgical treatment was studied.A study group comprised 10 patients aged 24 to 54 years, including those with benign [enchodroma (n = 4), osteoblastoclastoma (n = 1), and osteocartilage exostosis (n = 1)] and tumor-like [bone cyst (n = 4)] bone lesions. A control group consisted of 10 patients (6 men and 4 women) aged 19 to 62 years with bone tissue lesions [enchodroma (n = 1), osteoblastoclastoma (n = 2), and osteocartilage exostosis (n = 1), bone cyst (n = 3), and fibrous dysplasia (n = 2)]. After intraosseous resection, plastic surgery using β-tricalcium phosphate was performed in 1 patient with prostatic metastasis into the femoral head and 9 patients with benign bone lesions.Dynamic X-ray studies for at least 3 months after surgery revealed signs of bone tissue restoration with implanted coral resorption in the study group patients. This is suggestive of the rather high rate of NC resorption, which is similar to that of bone tissue restoration.

Breast cancer (BC) morbidity and mortality rates were analyzed in the Republic of Dagestan (RD) for a long period (1991-2002) and their current state was assessed. The standardized (world standard for) rate of BC morbidity in the RD was found to be 22.9 and, as a whole, significantly lower than the average rate in the Russian Federation (41.6%) and that of morbidity was 14.1 and inconsistent with the official data. It was also ascertained that both rates in the RD were increasing and varied within this republic with the female residence (urban, rural, geographic zone). Thus, the morbidity and mortality rates among the urban women (32.1 and 19.7) and in the lowlands (27.7 and 18.0) was twice as high as in the rural (15.8 and 10) and highlands (12.7 and 8.5). Cities, towns, and areas with high and low BC morbidity and mortality rates were defined. In some of them the BC mortality rates were also established to be greater than not only average republican, but also average federative ones. It was concluded that this situation was due to poor detection and the absence of primary and secondary prevention measures and screening programs. The impact of inadequate scope of treatment performed in the Dagestan Republican Cancer Dispensary on the rates is not ruled out either.

The paper analyzes the regional epidemiological determinants of the nature and scope of preventive measures against gynecological cancer diseases in the rural areas of the Republic of Dagestan (RD). According to age and tumor site, rural cancer gynecological morbidity rates were analyzed in different ethic groups in the RD over 1987-2001. There was a 25.1% increment in rural female genital malignancy morbidity in different ethnic groups. There was the highest (2.8-fold) increment in gynecological cancer morbidity in Nogai women and 1.3- and 1.1-fold decreases in this indicator in Rutul and Agul women, respectively. The peak age group in gynecological cancer death was 60-69 years.

The paper analyzes the results of international studies evaluating the efficiency and tolerability of chemotherapy during combination treatment for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The considerable local extent of a tumor process, a high risk for a local recurrence, and a tendency to massive lympho- and hematogenic metastases have resulted in an active search and use of various chemotherapy regimens in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The review provides information on the role of target drugs in the treatment of malignant gliomas. Imatinib in combination with hydroxyurea has the highest efficacy although process stabilization is generally achieved without an objective response. EGFR-targeted drugs, such as cetuximab, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and m-TOR, have less activity and may be used if other treatments are ineffective.

The paper gives the results of international studies of a role of targeted therapy for disseminated colorectal cancer (DCRC). It considers three drugs from this group - cetuximab (erbitux), panitumumab (vectibix), and bevacizumab (avastin). Erbitux demonstrated its activity against DCRC with EGFR receptor hyperexpression and KRAS wide-type and its ability to potentiate the antitumor activity of irinotecan. In DCRC patients without K-RAS mutation, the use of vectibix could significantly increase objective response rates, disease stabilization, and survival to progression as compared with the similar parameters during symptomatic therapy. Avastin therapy leads to a reduction in tumor growth and increases in overall survival (to 25 months) time to disease progression (by 20-25%) as compared to chemotherapy only.