[The hemoprotective effect of Dicarbamin in ovarian cancer patients receiving chemotherapy].

The effect of dicarbamin on the hemopoetic cells of the bone marrow of ovarian cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive combination chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide + carboplatin) is discussed.

[Comparison of effectiveness of treatment for cervical carcinoma using different brachytherapy equipment].

The immediate and end results of combined radiotherapy for cervical carcinoma stages I-III conducted at the N.N. Blokhin Center's Clinic (1982-1996) were compared.

[Experience with turbulent magnetic field as a component of breast cancer therapy].

No adverse side-effects were reported in an investigation of the antitumor effect of turbulent magnetic field (TMF) carried out as a component of preoperative chemoradiotherapy for breast cancer at the Center's Clinic. The study group included 114 patients with locally advanced tumors(T3, N1-N3, M0). According to the clinical, roentgenological and histological evidence on the end-results, the procedure was highly effective.

[Vascular endothelial growth factor and plasminogen activators in endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia].

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and such plasminogen activation system components as uPA, PAI-1 and tPA were determined by enzyme immunoassay methods in endometrial tumors from 121 patients and 18 samples of endometrial hyperplasia of varying degree. Endometrial carcinoma concentrations of uPA vs. PAI-1 were significantly higher than those in hyperplasia.

[Cell differentiation in human melanoma cells caused by dicarbamine (ultrastructural investigation)].

The effects of dicarbamine (r) and polytransretinoic acid (PTRA) on human melanoma MEL-6 transplanted into Balb/c nude female mice have been compared by histological and electron microscopic procedures. It was discovered that long-term administration of 1.5 mg/kg dicarbamine caused melanoma MEL-6 cells to undergo terminal differentiation.

[Urokinase and tissue type plasminogen activators and their type-1 inhibitor (PAI-1) in gastric cancer].

The levels of urokinase (uPA) and tissue type (tPA) plasminogen activators and their type 1 inhibitor (PAI-1) were determined by immunoassay in tumor cytosols and samples of histologically unaltered adjacent mucosa in gastric cancer patients. Gastric tumor revealed enhanced uPA and PAI-1 matched by decreased tPA in intact mucosa. The expression of uPA and PAI-1 was particularly was high at the later stages of the disease.

[Effect of chemotherapy on cytosol proteins of ovarian tumors].

Cytosol proteins of malignant ovarian tumors were studied with one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, prior to and after effective chemotherapy with cisplatin and taxotere. Effective chemotherapy caused the bands and spots of 29, 36 and 50-55 kDa to fade significantly or disappear completely. It is suggested that protein 36 kDa is the proliferating nuclear cell antigen while one of the proteins 50-55 kDa--betatubulin.

[Ultrastructural criteria of clinical prognosis in hormonally non-active adrenocortical tumors].

The investigation was concerned with histological and ultrastructural features of adrenocortical tumors of the adrenals, which have a differential-diagnostic and clinico-prognostic relevance. Histological and electron-microscopical examination of 60 tumors (adrenocortical adenoma--12; adrenocortical cancer--48) was carried out and the findings were compared with clinical data. No significant correlation between histological pattern of adrenocortical tumors and survival was established.

[Quantitative evaluation of physical vitality and quality of life in combined therapy of patients with disseminated breast cancer].

The paper discusses the criteria of quantitative presentation of data on individual sensitivities and the body's vital systems potential used in treatment of cancer patients. An index is suggested to assess damage done to a system using an "automated classifier".

[Formalized method of deciding on treatment options in clinical oncology].

A method of constructing a "tree of problem solving" is suggested to work out viable and economical strategies of clinical therapy of tumors. The algorithm is illustrated by solving a hypothetical problem. A clinico-economic index is used to compare different modalities of tumor therapy, its lowest value representing the best regimen.

[Immunohistochemical identification of hormonally-inactive tumors of the adrenal gland].

An immunohistochemical study was carried out to differentiate between such neoplasms of the cortical and cerebral layers of the adrenal as adrenocortical tumor and pheochromocytoma. It used antibodies to chromogranin A, synaptophysin, vimentin, cytokeratin 8, pancytokeratin, carcinoembryonic antigen, epithelial membrane antigen, neurofilaments, alpha-fetoprotein, alpha-antitripsin and neuron-specific enolase. Chromogranin A and synaptophysin appeared to be immunohistochemical markers for pheochromocytoma since it responded negatively to vimentin and cytokeratin.

[Retrospective evaluation of the safe reduction of surgical margins of resected stage-IIA cutaneous melanoma of the trunk and extremities].

The paper deals with analysis of 102 case histories locally-advanced 1.51-4.00 mm-thick cutaneous melanomas (CM) of the trunk and arms and legs operated on at the Center's Clinics and 52--at the Regional Oncological Dispensary, Samara.

[Determination of the effective number of animals to be used in oncologic experiments, and in testing for carcinogenicity, in particular].

An effective number of animals used in oncological experiments in general and carcinogenicity testing in particular is usually calculated as that of animals which have survived by the time a first tumor of any type (epithelial, mesenchymal, fatal, incidental etc.) is detected in any group, including control, throughout the whole experiment. This is justified for the determination of total number of tumors or the incidence of early tumors which are detected first.

[Results of phase II clinical trial of cycloplatam in refractory solid tumors].

Cycloplatam, a new platinum derivative, evolved at N.S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry in 1982, has been added to the arsenal of Russian cytostatic drugs.

[Effectiveness of treatment of recurrences of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after combined chemoradiotherapy depending on prognostic indicators].

The results were evaluated of the management of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in 46 out of 150 patients relapsing after first complete remission, following early-stage chemoradiotherapy. Polychemotherapy of recurrent tumors was given to 85% (39/46), repeat combined treatment--13% (6/46) and radiotherapy--2% (1/46). Remission was reported in 91% (42/46): complete--69% (32) and partial--22% (10).

[Combination therapy including mutamycin (mitomycin C) in the treatment of advanced colorectal and gastric cancer].

The paper reports the data on treatment of 57 patients with disseminated gastric and colorectal carcinoma using a combination of mutamycin + 5-fluorouracil + leucovorin + cisplatin. Overall response was 26.3% including complete--7.

[Irinotecan and tomudex in the treatment of patients with advanced cancer of the large intestine].

The data on the treatment of 82 patients with advanced colorektal carcinoma are presented. Tomudex was given as first-line treatment to 18 cases. Apparent response was reported in 31% including complete (6%) and partial (25%) regression.

[Combination of taxotere and doxorubicin in chemotherapy of disseminated breast cancer].

Chemotherapy (taxotere + doxorubicin) was given to 46 patients with disseminated breast cancer: first line--27 (group A) and second line (including treatment after anthracycline-containing combinations and taxol--19) (group B). Average effectiveness in group A was 70.4% (10/27); group B--42.

[Results of cooperation of Experimental and Clinical Chemotherapy, N. N. Blokhin Center for Oncology Research, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (1952-2000)].

Milestones of the Russian antitumor chemotherapy development inseparably associated with the names of N.N. Blokhin, L.

[New recommendations for evaluating the effectiveness of treatment of solid tumors and principles of the Guidelines for Clinical Practice (GCP)].

A new WHO protocol for measuring tumor during clinical studies using upgraded methods of tumor diagnosis was released in 1994. The recommendations based on the examination of over 4,000 patients included measuring greatest diameter of tumor and evaluation of treatment effect by changes of a sum total of largest diameters. Therapeutic effect is established by a decrease in the sum by at least 30%, while tumor progression--by an increase by at least 20%.

[Effects of theraphthal-Lio on hemostasis in experimental animals].

Teraphtal-Lio (Tph) exerted a toxic dose-dependent effect on the hemostatic system. Treatment of experimental animals with maximum tolerated and highly toxic doses was followed by acute DVS syndrome formation involving a hemophilic condition, soaring activated partial prothrombin time, absence of fibrinogen, sharp rise in fibrinogen degradation product and D-dimer matched by fall in thrombocyte count. No toxic influence on the hemostatic system was registered when Tph doses recommended for humans in the course of phase II clinical trials were administered to animals.

[Toxicity of binary "theraphthal-Lio+ascorbic acid" (TPH+AA) catalytic system during different methods of regional intra-arterial administration in dogs].

A binary teraphtal-Lio + ascorbic acid (Tph + AA) catalytic system has been tested for untoward side-effects using three procedures of regional intraarterial infusion on dogs. On the basis of the data on local-tissue and overall toxicity, an optimal one was selected and recommended for clinical use.

[Current results and perspectives of the use of human tumor cell lines for antitumor drug screening].

Cytotoxic screening of 2,000 chemical compounds against human tumor cell lines has identified certain antimetabolities, platinum complexes, actinomycin D derivatives and somatostatin analogs as possible antitumor agents. Differential sensitivity of such lines derived from five cancers (lung, colon, ovary, breast and leukemia) to certain antitumor agents has been established. This panel of cell lines is currently employed as a model for in vitro drug screening to identify biological response profile at earlier stages.

[New models of experimental chemotherapy of tumors].

New neoplastic models such as orthotopic solitary hepatic tumor (cholangiocellular cancer PC-1) as well as different strains of malignant pleuritis (hemoblastosis and ascitic tumors) have been evolved by transplanting tumor cell suspension to rat liver or murine pleural cavity. Intrahepatic cancer PC-1 has a solid mucosa-excreting structure and is characterized by low activity of detoxication enzymes of such xenobiotics as glutathione-S-transferase, NAD(p)N-chinonoxyreductase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. Orthotopic hepatic tumor PC-1 may be used for evaluating systemic and regional therapy.