The antiestrogen tamoxifen was examined for its effect on the interaction of monoclonal antibodies with the multidrug resistance markers: with Pgp and MRP1 in the cultured T-lymphoblast leukemia cell line Jurkat and with BCRP in the cultured cervical cancer cell line HeLa. The investigation used immunofluorescence and flow cytofluorimetric assays, primary monoclonal and isotypic antibodies labeled with the fluorescent dyes FITS and PE. After tamoxifen use, there was an increase in specific fluorescence and the number of specifically fluorescent cells on incubation with Pgp and BCRP antibodies and a reduction in those on incubation with MRP1 antibodies. This directly indicates that tomoxifen binds to Pgp, BCRP, and MRP1, which inevitably results in a decrease in the intracellular concentration of the antiestrogen available for the interaction with other cellular targets, including that with estrogen receptors. The authors consider that there is every reason to consider Pgp, BCRP, and MRP1 as markers for lowering the efficacy of tamoxifen in the treatment of breast cancer with the positive estrogen receptor status.

The paper concerns the molecular and genetic markers of breast cancer (BC). For practice use it is expedient to limit a BC expression analysis panel with the VEGFR 1, VEGFR 2, VEGF 121, PDGFR, mTOR, Her-2/neu, Ki-67, BRCA 1, ESR 1, Ostp, BIRC 2 and BIRC 5 genes to accelerate the test and reduce its cost and to simplify interpretation by physicians. These 12 genes carry basic information that is required to choose and predict a chemotherapy response and that serves as its prognostic markers, by indicating the potential therapeutic targets.

The use of digital techniques in mammography has become a last step for completing the process of digitization in diagnostic imaging. It is assumed that such a spatial decision will be required for digital mammography, as well as for high-resolution intensifying screen-film systems used in conventional mammography and that the digital techniques will be limited by the digitizer pixel size on detecting minor structures, such as microcalcifications. The introduction of digital technologies in mammography involves a tight control over an image and assures its high quality.

Preoperative verification of breast cancer (BC) is a necessary stage of diagnosis. The main method for obtaining materials is fine-needle aspiration biopsy that is of low informative value in a number of cases. Histological biopsy of nonpalpable breast masses extends the verification capabilities of accurate diagnosis and determines the choice and tactics of combination and complex treatments in patients with BC just at a preoperative stage, and, in case of detection of a benign tumor, enables one to abandon sector resection with an urgent histological study.

The paper considers the current feasibility of endocrine therapy for breast cancer (BC). It presents trials of the efficacy of fulvestrant in the treatment of patients with BC. Practically all clinical trials have demonstrated that the drug is well tolerated, without causing any significant systemic estrogen-like effects, as well as complications associated with the use of aromatase inhibitors.

The paper analyzes the benefits of laparoscopic videosurgery for ovarian tumors, performed for both the differential diagnosis of primary tumor and non-tumor diseases and the evaluation of treatment efficiency and the diagnosis of a recurrence.

Objective: to evaluate the efficiency (morphological tumor complete regression (mCR), a clinical effect) and safety of the use of new anthracycline-free neoajuvant chemotherapy regimens (paclitaxel + vinorelbine and docetaxel + carboplatin) in combination with trastuzumab in patients with Stage IIIa-c breast cancer (BC) and Her-2 hyperexpression.
Subjects and methods. The study enrolled 36 Stage IIIa–c BC patients receiving 4–8 cycles of a chemotherapy regimen of paclitaxel (100 mg/m2) + vinorelbine (25 mg/m2) (every 3 weeks) or docetaxel (50 mg/m2) + carboplatin (AUC 5) (every 3 weeks) in combination with trastuzumab.
Results. The docetaxel (75 mg/m2) + carboplatin (AUC 5) + trastuzumab regimen demonstrated a high effectiveness with acceptable toxicity. Seventeen (58.8 %) patients achieved mCP. The clinical effect was 83.3 % (4 complete and 11 partial tumor regressions).
The paclitaxel (135 mg/m2) + vinorelbine (25 mg/m2) (every 3 weeks) + trastuzumab regimen is efficacious and promising when the doses of the drugs are increased and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor used.

Particular emphasis has been recently placed on the mechanisms of carcinogenesis in breast cancer (BC), including those in male BC. The paper describes the major risk factors for BC in male patients and covers the role of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations in the occurrence of this pathology. The most important studies conducted in this area and their results are presented.

The results of social inquiry of 400 patients with breast cancer being on treatment in Belgorod Oncological Dispensary are shown. It is noted that 50–60 % of this women can not inquire themselves with psychological burden, they are in need of help of psychologists on all stages of treatment and observation. In connection with particular medical and social meaning of this problem the elaboration of effective programs of the psychological rehabilitation and social adaptation will be necessary.

Objective: to study the pathomorphological signs of pure and mixed clear-cell ovarian tumors with a clear-cell component.
Subjects and methods. The clinical and morphological characteristics and the course of the disease were analyzed in 96 patients aged 21 to 75 years with clear-cell ovarian carcinoma. All the patients were divided into 2 groups: 1) 71 patients with pure clear-cell ovarian adenocarcinomas (COA) and 2) 25 patients with mixed malignant ovarian epithelial tumors (MMOET) with an obligatory clear-cell component. All pure forms of ovarian clear-cell malignancies were represented by adenocarcinoma in our study. This histologic type of the tumor was also prevalent among mixed ovarian neoplasms.
Results. Clear, optically transparent cells and shoe nail-type (nail) ones were most common in COA. MMOETs showed moderate dif- ferentiation and malignancy and moderate atypia of a cell. Pure clear-cell neoplasms generally displayed 3 to 6 mitoses in 10 fields of vision whereas MMOET exhibited as many as 3 mitoses in 10 fields of vision.

The paper describes the possibilities of new surgical technologies used to treat ovarian tumor and tumor-like masses in pregnant patients. The used surgical treatment contributes to the normal course of pregnancy and the maintenance of reproductive function. Laparoscopic intervention allows timely surgical treatment in a required volume and has no negative impact on the course of pregnancy and fetal and neonatal status.

The paper considers the clinical picture, diagnosis, mechanisms of development, and prognosis of ovarian malignancies and polyneoplasias in detail. The purpose of the investigation was to study the clinical features of polyneoplasms with the involvement of the ovaries and to define the ways of improving their diagnosis.

The problem of mental disorders in oncological practice is discussed in many publications. To study the prevalence and spectrum of men- tal health disorders in patients with cancer of the female reproductive system (CFRS) is one of the most urgent issues of psycho-oncology. This paper gives an excursus into the problem of mental disorders in patients with CFRS and points out a diversity of the psychopathologi- cal phenomena that have been described in the literature and are encountered in this category of patients, as ascribed by a number of investigators to the presence of somatogenic conditions that complicate the pattern of the stress factors that are traditionally identified in oncological practice, the most important factors of them are hormonal derangements resulting from damaging operations (mastectomy, hysterectomy, etc.) and hormone therapy performed in CFRS patients with preserved menstrual function.

Early response genes are a group of proto-oncogenes that are the first to be activated in cell stimulation with different growth factors and to be involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Large amount of information supporting that altered expression of these genes is one of the central and earliest events of carcinogenesis has been accumulated. In this connection, it is promising to use early response genes as diagnostic and prognostic markers for the detection and combination therapy of cancer of the cervix uteri, one of the most common gynecological malignancies characterized by high mortality rates and difficulties in early diagnosis. The theoretical basis for these promises is the found mechanisms for the interaction of early response genes with human papillomavirus genome, the main cause of cervix uteri cancer.

The paper analyzes the strategy and tactics of beam and intracavitary radiation within the framework of chemoradiotherapy in 112 pa- tients with inoperable FIGO stages IIa–IIIb cancer of the cervix uteri. The parameters that are important to plan general radiotherapy stages are assessed; the bases for optimization decisions and the specific features of maintenance therapy, which ensure a 15–25 % increase in the efficiency of treatment with its satisfactory tolerability, are given.

The efficacy and safety of intravenous topotecan (hycamtin) given in a dose of 4 mg/m2 on days of 1, 8, 15 of a 28-day cycle of its therapy were evaluated in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer (OC).
Preliminary analysis of the safety and toxicity of the topotecan regimen demonstrated no impact on quality of life, easiness-to-use, and possible outpatient use. Topotecan showed to be effective as second- and higher line therapy for recurrent OC to carry out a platinum reduction.

The paper describes a range of embryo proteins, the potential markers for ovarian tumors. More than 10 new embryo proteins have been tested; however, a strictly specific protein has not been found to diagnose ovarian tumors. Serum oncoovarian -1-globulin is shown to remain the most promising marker today. Noteworthy are the specific features of evolution and the mechanism of the early extent of a tumor process. The role of pregnancy in preventing ovarian tumors is considered. An attempt has been made to understand the causes of the disease and the mechanisms of its development.