[Osteosarcoma: biochemical and endocrinological studies as a basis for its pathogenetic treatments].

The paper considers data of the long-term studies of androgen metabolism, baseline serum levels of reproductive steroid hormones and their receptors in the tumor, in the blood concentrations of sex steroid-binding globulin and pituitary hormones, the expression of epidermal growth factor, its receptors and ligands, soluble Fas-antigen, vascular endothelial growth factor, angiogenin, and the content of calmodulin, cAMP in the osteosarcoma in 300 patients aged 14 to 56 years, which were made at the N. N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

[The drop in toxicity and the rise in the effectiveness of antineoplastic chemotherapy by correcting the activity of liver monooxygenases: from the experiment to the clinical practice].

The paper reviews both the data available in the literature and the authors' own results of long-term experimental and clinical investigations of the involvement of hepatic monooxygenases (HMO) in the biological activity of antitumor drugs. It reports data of evaluation of HMO activity in pediatric and adult cancer patients, which has shown a decrease in HMO activity in one third of patients without clinical signs of hepatopathy and two thirds of those with toxic hepatic damages after prior chemotherapy. Decreased HMO activity has been found to be stimulated with the enzyme inductor zyxorin.

[Growth receptor factor and steroid hormones: their diagnostic value in differential diagnosis of neoplasms in children].

The distribution of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) and receptors for steroid hormones--androgens (RA), estrogens (RE) and glucocorticoids (RG) was studied in malignant (MT) and benign (BT) tumors in children. The distribution and mean levels of some receptors in normal tissues were statistically different from those in MT and BT. The absence of RA and the high levels of RE > 20 fmol/mg protein and RG > 50 fmol/mg protein were typical of MT whereas BT might be characterized by the high levels of EGFR > 300 fmol/mg protein.

[Modern prospects for polychemotherapy of solid neoplasms in children].

To improve life quality and to increase survival in children with solid tumors, emphasis is placed on chemotherapeutical treatments along with other existing ones (surgery, radiation). By taking into account the fact that most malignant tumors in children are highly responsive to chemotherapy, programme treatment in children with neoplasms included the new drugs iphosphamide, vepeside, cisplatin, carboplatin, melfalan, bleomycin. The results of therapy with these drugs alone or in combination with well-known effective anthracycline antibiotics and plant preparations are presented.

[Organization of management of and role of clinical prognosis in the childhood oncological service of Russia].

Cancer control service cannot be managed without having a clear idea of trends and changes in the incidence of malignant neoplasms and associated death rates. These studies become a basis for setting up oncological facilities for both children and adults, having an adequate infrastructure (final fund, the profile of units, a list of staff, the volume of work). Pediatric oncological rooms to collect statistics, to make a primary diagnosis, a follow-up, and outpatient chemotherapy in children with malignant neoplasms, and to do methological work with pediatric and non-oncological specialized children's out- and inpatient units have been opened in most administrative, regional, territorial, and republican centers.

[Ultrasonography in the comprehensive diagnosis and evaluation of treatment effectiveness in retroperitoneal neuroblastoma in children].

Neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroblastoma of adrenal (17) and extra-organ (60) origin and retroperitoneal extra-organ neoplasia (18), infrequent in childhood, were identified in 109 children referred to the Institute's Clinic with diagnosis of retroperitoneal tumor. Ultrasound characteristics of retroperitoneal tumors of the sympathetic nervous system and predictive value of ultrasound for involvement of adjacent organs and vessels were defined and classified. Similar criteria for differential diagnosis between retroperitoneal neuro- and ganglioblastoma and rare pediatric retroperitoneal tumors were worked out.

[Diagnosis and therapy of rhabdomyosarcoma in children].

An analysis of 24-month relapse-free survival in 62 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (S.I.O.

[Metastatic lung tumors in children (clinical course, diagnosis, prognosis)].

According to data available at the Institute (1985-1999, approx. 1,200 patients), the lung is the most frequent site of cancer dissemination (up to 75%). Such most frequent pediatric children tumors as Wilms' tumor, neuroblastoma, rhabdosarcoma, osteogenic sarcoma and that of Ewing disseminate to lung in 85%, particularly, at advanced stages.

[Radiologic diagnosis of malignant tumors of the pelvic bones in children].

An analysis of the data on radiodiagnosis of malignancies of pelvic bones in 50 patients, aged 10-15, is presented. Diagnosis was morphologically confirmed in all the cases: Ewing's sarcoma (41)--82%, primitive neuroectodermal tumor (6)--12% and chondrosarcoma (3)--6%. The leading clinical syndrome was pain in the loin.

[ES-IPO-97 treatment protocol for prognostically poor Ewing's sarcoma forms in children: results of implementation].

The paper shows the high efficiency and moderate toxicity of inductive treatment in children with Young sarcoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumors by ES-Ipo-97 protocol that includes alternate chemotherapy by the scheme: vincristine, 1.5 mg/m2/day, on days 1, 8, 15; adriamycin, 37.5 mg/m2/day, on days 1 and 2 as 24-hour infusion; cyclophosphanum, 2.

[Epidermal growth factor receptors in malignant and benign tumors in children].

The radioligand technique was used to study the amount of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) in malignant and benign tumors in 32 children aged 8 months to 17 years. The membranous fraction of 11 of the 32 tumors studied showed EGFR equal to 10.1 to 1327 fmol/mg (163.

[Low-intensity lasers in pediatric oncology].

The paper outlines the outcomes of treatment for complications associated with chemo- and radiation therapy in children with malignant neoplasms by using low-intensity laser radiation. The use of this therapy may reduce the duration of treatment of these complications by 1.5-2 times.

[Organ-preserving surgical interventions in unilateral nephroblastomas in children].

The paper presents data available in the literature and the authors' own findings of organ-preserving treatment of 9 children with unilateral nephroblastoma. It proposes absolute and relative indications for organ-preserving treatment in this pathology.

[Changes of lipid peroxidation parameters in children being treated for cancer].

Lipid peroxidation (LP) occurring in pediatric cancer patients receiving polychemotherapy has been investigated. Plasma level of malonic dialdehyde in children with retinoblastoma (Rtb) was found to drop while it remained unchanged in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The treatment caused different changes in the red cell catalase levels in said groups: the enzyme concentration increased in the Rtb patients in the course of therapy and decreased in the ALL group.

[Biochemical parameters in the diagnosis of nephrotoxicity of antineoplastic chemotherapy in children].

The investigation was concerned with the role of enzymouria in the assessment of nephrotoxic effects identified in 19 children with malignant solid tumors who received cisplatin polychemotherapy in a dose of 100 mg/sq.m or iphosphamide in a dose 9 g/sq.m.

[Clinical problems of radiotherapy in pediatric oncology].

The main principles of radiation therapy as well as the role of ratio Integral Dose/Total Dose in radiation treatment of malignant tumors in children are considered. Indications for radiation therapy of nephroblastomas and peculiarities of radiation treatment of haemangiomas are described. Expedience is proved of radiation of only the liver part affected by neuroblastoma.