By taking into account the mortality/morbidity ratio, overall survival rates in patients with breast cancer were calculated in the Republic of Dagestan (RD) as a whole and its regions. The survival in the RG was ascertained to vary with the residence of women. High and low survival towns, districts, and administrative centers where the survival rates had a negative meaning (i.e. mortality rates exceed morbidity ones) were found. It is concluded that the situation established in the RD has resulted from failure in the organiza- tion of cancer service.

The paper presents the results from a study of the breast oxygen status by diffuse optical tomography (DOT). Detection of breast tissue at wavelengths of 684, 794, and 850 nm could provide information on the distribution of basic tissue chromophores: oxygenized and deoxygenized hemoglobin. Normal breast tissue was characterized by the even distribution of these compounds and stabilization of their level. In breast cancer, the distribution of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin was noted for uneven distribution and blood oxygen saturation was lower in the projection of a tumor nodule. The blood oxygen saturation data obtained by DOT demonstrate physiological differ- ences between normal and tumor tissues in different tumor areas.

The specific features of carcinomatous pleurisies were studied in 119 patients with breast cancer (BC). The most characteristic properties of the structure of cells and the composition of pleural fluid were noted in infiltrating ductal and lobular BC. A differential diagnosis was made between mesothelioma (17%) and ovarian cancer (25%); it was difficult to perform it in lobular cancer.

The paper is based on the retrospective analysis of 1033 history records of the patients treated for diagnosed tubular, mucous, papil- lary, medullary, or metaplastic carcinomas in the clinics of the N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, in 1985 to 2005. After primary therapy, the maximum overall survival in patients with tubular, mucous, or papil- lary carcinoma was 5 years in 90% of the patients and 10 years or more in 85%. That in patients with metaplastic carcinoma was 5 years only in 65% and 10 years or more in less than 50%. Moreover, a negative status in terms of steroid hormone receptors was detect- ed most frequently in this form of carcinoma (p < 0.05) and HER-2/neu hyperexpression in 20% of cases (p < 0.002). Any radical surgical intervention for all rare breast carcinomas assures that more than 80% will survive 10 years and, if not any, will only 60% of the patients (p < 0.001).

Median survival in patients with disseminated breast cancer (BC) is less than 3 years; moreover, 25-30 and 10% survive > 5 and > 10 years, respectively. Current systemic therapy increases median survival rates by only 3-4 months as compared with patients who do not receive this therapy. The data given in the paper are based on the analysis of a follow-up of 36 women aged 30 to 57 years who had BC dissemination 2 years after multimodality treatment in the Tashkent City Cancer Dispensary in the period 2006 to 2008. Despite the fact that the current multidrug therapy regiments were used, there were no dramatic changes in survival rates. However, the attain- ment of stabilization and regression of metastatic foci in this category of patients allows clinicians, oncologists, and their patients to hope to control this disease.

The specific features of cellular and humoral factors of the immune system, as well as lymphocyte activation markers were studied in patients with breast cancer (BC). The biophysical parameters of superficial peripheral lymphocyte membranes were analyzed in BC patients. The peculiarities of an immune system response were significant T-cell immunodeficiency, CD4+ Т helper/inducer cell defi- ciency along with increased СD8+ Т lymphocyte expression, suppressed immunoregulatory index, imbalanced humoral immunity, acti- vated CD16+ and CD56+ expression on the natural killer cells, and increased CD38+ и CD95+ expression on the lymphocytes. The study of the biophysical parameters of superficial lymphocyte membranes revealed the statistically significant changes characterizing the enhanced electric field and increased microviscosity, which are likely to result in the cessation or reduction of intercellular interactions.

The impact of various neoadjuvant treatment regimens on the level of enzyme immunoassay-determined angiogenic markers of endothelial growth factor and its type 2 receptor in tumor cytosol and serum was assessed in 30 patients with locally advanced breast cancer (BC). The findings suggest the promises for studies of neoangiogenesis factors mainly in tumor tissue for their possible use as prognostic biological markers in patients with BC.

Examination of 112 patients with uterine myoma revealed the high rate of concomitance of uterine and breast hyperplastic processes due to the commonness of the pathogenesis of these processes. Different forms of fibrocystic disease (FCD) were identified in 76.8% of the patients with uterine myoma; diffuse FCD with a predominance of a fibrous component was more common (54.7%). The efficacy of Indinol in the treatment of FCD was evaluated in the patients with uterine myoma. The clinical symptoms of mastodynia were relieved in 63.4% of the patients; 33.7% of the women had positive X-ray changes a year after start of therapy, as evidenced by mammography.

In women with background diseases of the cervix uteri, human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 infection was found in 26.9% of cases, while in those with varying cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, it was in 68.5% of cases, i.e. 2.5 times higher, mainly at the age of 25 to 30 years. Polymerase chain reaction serum assays for HPV infection were negative in 99.9% of cases.
After diathermoelectronization of the cervix uteri, HPV was identified in 28.6% of the female virus carriers with background diseases and in 49.9% of the women with varying dysplasia, i.e. half the female virus carriers in this group continued to have the earlier iden- tified HPV types 16 and 18.

Ten ultrasound morphological comparisons were made on the removed uterus for endometrial cancer. The specific features of its ultra- sound image were studied in details. An attempt was undertaken to explain these or those echographic signs when comparing with tumor histotopographic sections.

Trophoblastic tumor of the placental bed is a highly malignant form of trophoblastic disease that occurs extremely rarely: 0.4-2% of all the trophoblastic tumors. In the world literature, there are reports on about 200 cases of this disease. The tumor occurs at a repro- ductive age (median age 30 years), occasionally even long after pregnancy, which makes the problem of diagnosis and treatment of the pathology particularly pressing. In 30% of cases, there are metastases more frequently to the lung and vagina. The diagnostic features of a placental bed tumor include the low serum levels of chorionic gonadotropin β-subunits and the higher level of human placental lactogen. Due to low tumor susceptibility to chemotherapy, the patients should undergo surgical intervention as uterine extirpation at the first treatment stage, which is followed by chemotherapy.

The basic investigations in the past year are dedicated to search for new markers for the screening and early diagnosis of ovarian can- cer, to the definition of a role of retroperitoneal lymph dissection, the time of initiation of second-line treatment in the marker progres- sion of this disease, to the development of different modified regimens in both first-line therapy and recurrent ovarian cancer.

The authors have made a complex analysis of the molecular biological factors associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. They have revealed that infection by oncogenic human papillomavirus types is associated with suppressed apoptosis and enhanced cellular proliferative activity, which can be effectively used in the diagnosis and prediction of cervical neoplasias to optimize management tac- tics and to improve the results of treatment.

A parallel study of some parameters of the endocrine and immune systems was conducted in 120 patients with vulvar cancer prior to treatment.
Most patients were found to have impaired immunogenesis: the reduced count and function of T and B lymphocytes, decreased natu- ral killer cells, suppressed macrophageal transformation of monocytes, higher percentage of immunocomplexes, insufficient production of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, IgG), which was induced by the elevated level of cortisol in its slower metabolism at the periphery, reduced function of the pituitary-thyroid system, the balance of sex steroids shifted towards testosterone, a predominance of luteiniz- ing hormone over follicle-stimulating hormone, and inhibited growth hormone production.

The review of the literature on the problems of sporadic ovarian cancer details the present views of its disputable risk factors, such as dietary habits, body weight, contraception, and labor, and age of commencing a sexual activity. It discusses the dietary and sexual behavior model that has changed since the Neolithic, as well as the number of menses and ovulations throughout the reproductive peri- od. The works by authors dealing with the impact of smoking and alcohol consumption on the risk of ovarian cancer are analyzed.

Prevention of cancer and its early diagnosis is today one of the promising lines of oncology. The identification of the hereditary forms of malignancies is particularly urgent, which prevents the development of tumor pathology in apparently healthy individuals the rela- tives of whom have cancers.