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The incidence of various postoperative complications including pulmonary ones is at a high level in a cardiac surgery.The objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of high-frequency lung ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass as a preventive measure for postoperative pulmonary complications compared to low-volume lung ventilation.Subjects and Methods. 60 patients undergoing cradiac surgery were included in the study. In HF Group (HF ventilation with airway pressure control at the frequency of 300/min, the ratio of duration of inhalation and exhalation is 1:2, mean airway pressure is 8 mbar) and VC Group (lung ventilation during CPB with parameters: tidal volume is 3 ml/kg, respiratory rate is 6/min, and positive end-expiratory pressure is +5 cm H2O).Results. No significant difference in the analysis of the oxygenation index were observed between groups. Frequency of pulmonary atelectasis on chest radiology in postoperative period made 3 (9%) in VC Group and 4 (12%) HF Group (p = 0.71). The frequency of intraoperative recruiting lung maneuvers was 5 (16%) in VС Group and 6 in HF Group (18%) (p = 0,75). The duration of postoperative ventilation did not differ between the groups.Conclusion. HF mechanical ventilation during CPB has no significant advantage over low-volume mechanical ventilation. HF mechanical ventilation and low-volume mechanical ventilation has the same protective effect on the oxygenating function of the lungs after CPB.

Introduction. Studies on non-metastatic colorectal cancer have demonstrated the prognostic role of circulating tumor (ctDNA) after surgery, and the ability to identify patients with the greatest risk of progression. This makes it possible in the future to personalize neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment.The study objective – to evaluate the correlation of the ctDNA status before and after surgery with a clinical outcome in patients with stage I–III colorectal cancer.Materials and methods. The study included data from patients with morphologically verified colorectal cancer with stage I–III who were treated at the N. N. Blokhin National Oncology Research Center in the period from 2016 to 2021. Blood samples were collected before and after surgical treatment (on the 7–10th day after surgery). The minimum permissible concentration at which ctDNA in a plasma sample was considered positive was 0.4 copies of mutant DNA in 1 mcL of plasma. The main criterion of effectiveness was disease-free survival (DFS). The presence of cDNA before and after surgery was a negative prognostic factor for progression in stage I–III of CRC. Patients with positive cDNA after surgery had worse DFS results despite adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients with stage II CRC with negative ctDNA, regardless of adjuvant CT after surgery, did not have disease progression in 100 % of cases.Results. The study included 146 patients with stage I–III colorectal cancer. Progression was detected in 34 patients. The median follow-up time was 22 months (0–66 months). Data on progression were known in 119 patients. Positive cDNA data were detected before surgery in 55 of 120 patients (45 %), after surgery in 46 of 119 (38.6 %). In the group with positive cDNA before surgery, the median DFS was 35 months (95 % confidence interval (CI) 24,0–45.9), in the group with negative cDNA before surgery, the median DFS was not achieved (hazard ratio (HR) 4.6; 95 % CI 2.0–10.4), 1‑year DFS in the cDNA positive group was 62 % versus 100 % in the cDNA negative group (p

Objective: to compare short-term and long-term treatment outcomes between patients with lower and middle rectal cancer with complete clinical and pathomorphological response after comprehensive treatment.Materials and methods. we performed retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes in patients with lower and middle rectal cancer. The experimental group included 27 patients with complete clinical response, whereas the control group comprised 31 patients with complete pathomorphological response (ypT0n0m0) who had undergone total mesorectal excision following neoadjuvant therapy. The main evaluated parameters included postoperative complications, proportion of R0 resections, proportion of sphincter-preserving surgeries, 2-year overall survival, and progression-free survival.Results. At a median follow-up time of 41 months (range: 25–114 months), 2 patients from the experimental group had progressive disease registered 18 and 19 months after treatment initiation; both patients underwent abdominoperineal extirpation of the rectum. The remaining 25 patients had sphincter sparing surgeries. At a median follow-up time of 48 months (range: 24–101 months), one patient was found to have liver metastasis 5 months following treatment initiation. He underwent simultaneous surgery that included low anterior resection of the rectum and liver resection and had no postoperative complications. In the group of surgical treatment, all patients underwent radical surgeries (R0), including those with permanent stoma formation (n = 11; 35.5 %) or preventive stoma formation (n = 20; 64.5 %) with subsequent bowel repair. The 2-year overall survival rate was 100 % in both groups. The 2-year progression-free survival rate was 92.6 % in the experimental group and 96.8 % in the control group (p = 0.473).Conclusion. The watch and wait strategy with active dynamic follow-up is a safe alternative to surgery in patients with complete clinical response after neoadjuvant therapy, since it ensures the results equivalent to those in patients with complete pathomorphological response.

Background. Circulating tumor DnA (ctDnA) may act as a potential biomarker for predicting disease progression in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), which are radically cured or receiving chemotherapy.Objective: to evaluate the sensitivity of the investigated ctDnA detection assay and quantify the concordance of genomic alterations between ctDnA and matched primary tumor tissue of patients with CRC.Materials and methods. we included patients with histologically confirmed stage I–Iv CRC treated in n.n. Blokhin Cancer Research Center from 2016 to 2021. DnA was purified from tissue samples using QIAamp DnA formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (ffPE) Tissue Kit (QIAgEn, germany). next-generation sequencing (ngS) technique was used to detect genetic mutations in primary tumor. ctDnA mutations were detected by droplet digital PCR.Results. The sensitivity of platform (assay) for detecting genetic alterations in tissue samples was 97.82 %; in ctDnA – 51.20 % for all stages and 64.5 % for stage Iv CRC. Across eight genes (KRAS, TP53, APC, PIK3CA, BRAF, FBXW7, MB21D2, and SMAD4) concordance between primary tumor and ctDnA was 69.4 % (95 % CI 62.2–76.0). Sensitivity for all stages is 51.2 % (95 % CI 45.8–56.6), for metastatic CRC 64.5 % (95 % CI 53.3–74.5). The concordance across all genes was 65.4 % (95 % CI 57.1–73.1) and 83.8 % (95 % CI 69.6–92.9) for stage I–III and stage Iv CRC, respectively. The concordance rate between ctDnA and primary tumor tissue for KRAS alterations across all stages and stage Iv CRC was 78.3 % (95 % CI 66.7–87.3) and 90.9 % (95 % CI 64.7–99.0), respectively. with increasing tumor stage (T), the number of matches raised across all genes with the highest number observed in nx category.Conclusion. The study indicates high concordance between tumor tissue and ctDnA, especially for KRAS and BRAF genes in patients with metastatic CRC, suggesting the clinical utility of ctDnA testing as a minimally invasive method and alternative to tissue biopsy.

Background. Currently available chemoradiotherapy regimens for distal rectal cancer often ensure complete regression of the tumor and lymph node lesions. Therefore, patients with a complete clinical response can be managed with a “watch and wait” (ww) strategy.Objective: to evaluate 2-year overall and progression-free survival in patients with local and locally advanced rectal cancer with a complete clinical response who were managed with the ww strategy.Materials and methods. we performed retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed, histologically verified, stage II–III, mrT1–2n1–2m0, T3–4n0–2m0 (within 0–10 cm of the anal verge), and mrT2n0m0 (within 0–5 cm of the anal verge) rectal cancer who had demonstrated complete clinical response to chemoradiotherapy. mandard tumor regression grade (TRg1–2) (assessed using magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis) and palpatory/visual signs of residual tumor (assessed by digital examination and colonoscopy) were the main parameters evaluated. Overall and disease-free survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–meier method.Results. Twenty-seven patients with a complete clinical response were assigned to the ww group. mRI scans of the pelvis demonstrated that 5 patients (18.5 %) had TRg1, whereas 22 patients (81.5 %) had TRg2. T-downstaging after therapy was observed in 21 participants (77.7 %). n-downstaging was registered in all 14 patients (100 %) with regional lymph nodes affected. median follow-up time was 41 months (range: 25–114 months). Two individuals (7.4 %) developed progressive disease. Both of them had lengthy tumors as demonstrated by digital examination, colonoscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging; they immediately underwent radical surgery. The two-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 100 % and 92.6 %, respectively. Conclusion. The ww strategy with active dynamic follow-up is safe for the management of patients with local and locally advanced middle and lower rectal cancer, provided that inclusion/exclusion criteria are adhered to and patients are carefully followed-up in specialized centers.

The aim of this study was to analyze currently available information on the risks of fistulas in patients with cervical cancer after radiation therapy and possible treatment options.This review includes data from Russian and foreign articles devoted to this problem. It covers the frequency of fistulas of after radiation therapy in cervical cancer patients, as well as some treatment methods.Attempts to change the approaches to radiation therapy for advanced cervical cancer were unsuccessful; therefore, patients with cervical cancer will be at high risk of developing fistulas in the next few years. Different treatments for fistulas demonstrate contradictory results and dictate the need for a tailored-approach in such cases. The development of new surgical methods for the correction of vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas is still highly relevant.

This article explores evolution of treatment options in colorectal cancer with synchronous metastatic disease, role of surgical approach on different stages of combined‑modality therapy, including “liver first” strategy. Prospects of perioperative and neoadjuvant polychemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer with synchronous distant metastases to liver, data on possibility of using radiation therapy in treatment of primary tumor and liver metastases, as well as risks and benefits of this approach and available clinical research data are analyzed.

Aim. In a retrospective study, we evaluated factors associated with the early development of septic shock in patients with severe COVID-19. Materials and methods. We collected medical records of the intensive care unit patients submitted by the local COVID-19 hospitals across Russia to the Federal Center for the Critical Care at the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University). Septic shock in crticially ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation was defined as a need in vasopressors to maintain blood pressure. Results. We studied 1078 patients with severe COVID-19 who were admitted to the intensive care units for respiratory support. There were 611 males and 467 females. The mean age was 61.013.7 years. Five hundred twenty five medical records (48.7%) were received from the Moscow hospitals, 159 (14.7%) from the Moscow region, and 394 (36.5%) from the hospitals located in 58 regions of the Russian Federation. In 613 (56.9%) patients, diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by PCR, and in the other cases it was established on the basis of the clinical picture and the results of the chest CT scan. Septic shock developed in 214 (19.9%) of 1078 patients. In the logistic regression model, the risk of septic shock in patients older than 50 years was higher than in patients of a younger age (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.533.67; p0.0001). In patients with more severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, there was an increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease and atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes and malignant tumors. The risk of septic shock in patients with three or more concomitant diseases was higher than in patients without any concomitant chronic diseases (OR 1.76; 95% CI 1.762.70). Conclusion. The risk of septic shock in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by SARS-CoV-2 is higher in patients older than 50 years with concomitant diseases, although a severe course of the disease is also possible in younger patients without any concomitant disorders.

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of combination therapy in patients with stage сT3N0M0 and сT2–3N1–2M0 distal rectal cancer during a short course of neoadjuvant thermoradiotherapy compared to radiotherapy or surgical treatment alone.Materials and methods. A total of 166 patients received 3 sessions of local microwave hyperthermia (LMH) at a temperature of 43–45 °C for 60 minutes during a short course of radiotherapy (LMH + CT); 138 patients received combination treatment (CT) using preoperative radiotherapy alone; 197 patients received surgical treatment (ST) only.Results. In patients receiving LMH + CT, overall incidence of complications was 38.6 % and did not significantly differ from that in patients receiving ST (p = 0.8464) and CT (p = 0.5383). We observed no significant differences in the severity of postoperative complications (according to the Clavien–Dindo classification) between the three groups of study participants treated using different regimens. The incidence of relapses was 6 % in the LMH + CT group vs 17.3 % in the ST group (p

Objective: to evaluate feasibility and short-term results of the liver-first approach in our center.Materials and methods. Retrospective study of prospectively gathered group of patients who were treated in N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology between 2017 and 2019. Patients with asymptomatic primary tumor located in rectum and rectosigmoid junction with synchronous resectable / borderline resectable metastasis in liver. 22 patients were planned to undergo the liver-first approach. Post-operative morbidity and mortality (Clavien–Dindo) as well as tumor regression grading (Dworak) were evaluated.Results. Of the 17 patients planned to undergo the liver-first strategy, the approach was completed in 15 (88,2 %) patients. The main reason for treatment failure was disease progression. Post-operative morbidity and mortality were 13,3 % and 0 %, respectively.Conclusions. Liver-first approach is justified in two cases: during waiting period after last day of chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced (invasion depth T4a, positive circumferential resection margin, N+ status) mid-to-low rectal cancer and in patients with multiple borderline resectable bilobar liver damage.

Objective: to analyze the outcomes of sphincter-sparing surgeries in patients with advanced distal rectal cancer depending on the therapy they receive.Materials and methods. This study included 289 patients with advanced (stage T3N0–2M0) distal rectal cancer who have undergone sphincter-sparing surgeries. Patients were divided into three groups according to their treatment scheme. In group 1, we used combination treatment that included a short course of neoadjuvant radiotherapy supplemented by 3 multidirectional radiomodifiers (local microwave hyperthermia, rectal administration of a biopolymer composition containing metronidazole, and chemotherapy with capecitabine). Patients in group 2 received combination treatment that included neoadjuvant radiotherapy alone. Treatment outcomes in patients receiving combination therapy was compared to those of patients with similar characteristics and location of rectal tumors who have undergone surgery alone in N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology (group 3).Results. We observed a significant decrease in the incidence of locoregional cancer metastasis in patients from group 1 compared to those from groups 2 and 3 (0.8 % vs 7.9 % and 18.2 % respectively). Moreover, patients in group 1 demonstrated better relapse-free survival than participants in groups 2 and 3 (79.6 % vs 52.6 % and 51 % respectively). The new scheme of combination therapy developed by our team (used in group 1) did not increase the incidence of postoperative complications. The best local disease control in group 1 was achieved in patients with middle rectal cancer who have undergone sphincter-sparing surgeries: none of 81 patients developed relapses, whereas the relapse-free survival rate reached 83 % compared to 56.9 % in group 1 and 41.7 % in group 3.Conclusions. The new treatment scheme that includes neoadjuvant radiotherapy supplemented by 3 multidirectional radiomodifiers can be used as one of the options increasing efficacy of radiotherapy and, therefore, efficacy of combination treatment in patients with advanced rectal cancer who undergo sphincter-sparing surgeries.

Objective: comparison of the effectiveness of the results of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer using classical and hypofractionated schedule of radiation therapy.Materials and methods. This study is based on a retrospective analysis of a database of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (T3C–D, positive circumferential resection margin or T4) who underwent a prolonged course of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. The patients were divided into two groups: the first (main) group, 71 patients who received a course of chemoradiotherapy in hypofractionation schedule as part of neoadjuvant treatment (4 Gy × 40 Gy, 3 fractions per week) in combination with chemotherapy with capecitabine 1650 mg / m2 in two doses on weekdays. The second group (control group) included 79 patients who treated with long-course chemoradiotherapy in the classic fractionation mode (2 Gy × 50–58 Gy, 5 fractions per week) in combination with chemotherapy with capecitabine 1650 mg / m2 in two doses on weekdays. In the preoperative period, along with chemoradiotherapy, 4–8 courses of the systemic chemotherapy in the CapOx mode was used. The primary endpoint of this study was pathological complete response. Secondary endpoints included the seve rity of early radiation and hematological toxicity, the incidence of local recurrence, distant metastases, overall and disease-free survival. Results. The study included 150 patients. The overall frequency of acute radiation toxicity of grade III–IV was 5.6 % in the main group and 8.9 % in the control group (p = 0.658), from them hematological toxicity – 2.82 % and 7.6 %, respectively (p = 0.350), skin and pelvic organ toxicity – 2.82 % and 1.3 %, respectively (p = 0.926). Complete pathological response of III degree in the groups achieved 22.5 % and 19 %, respectively (p = 0.593), grade IV – 18.3 % and 15.2 %, respectively (p = 0.829). In the main and control groups, 4.2 % and 3.8 % of local recurrence were registered, respectively (p = 0.954; hazard ratio (HR) 1.05; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.21–5.22). The median time of disease-free survival was 39.4 months. The three-year disease-free survival in the main group was 73.2 % and in the control group 64.6 %, respectively (p = 0.353; HR 0.79; 95 % CI 0.42–1.35). The three-year overall survival in the main and control groups were 84.5 % and 82.3 %, respectively (p = 0.743; HR 0.87; 95 % CI 0.39–1.92). Conclusions. The hypofractionation schedule can be considered as an alternative and not inferior to the standard dose fractionation regimen in a prolonged course of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Objective: to evaluate short-term and long-term outcomes of surgical treatment for colorectal cancer metastases to the lungs and to analyze factors affecting the efficacy of surgery. Materials and methods. This study included 211 patients with colorectal cancer metastases to the lungs treated between 1994 and 2014. We enrolled patients with resectable or conventionally resectable metastases (according to chest computed tomography evaluated by a thoracic surgeon); the exclusion criteria were as follows: multiple primary tumors and age more than 85 years. We assessed the type of surgeries, frequency of R0 resections, incidence of postoperative complications, overall survival, and progression-free survival. Results. One hundred and sixty-two patients out of 211 (76.8 %) have undergone atypical lung resection. Forty-nine patients (23.2 %) have undergone pneumonectomy, bilobectomy, or lobectomy. The majority of patients (96.2 %) have had R0 resection, whereas 2.9 % of study participants have had R1 or R2 resections. One patient has undergone a trial surgery. Clinically significant postoperative complications were observed in 4 (2 %) patients; postoperative mortality was 0.5 % (1 case). The five-year overall survival rate was 52.7 %; the 5-year progression-free survival rate was 45.8 %. Development of metastases within 24 months after primary surgery was found to be a significant factor negatively affecting overall survival (hazard ratio 0.347; 95 % confidence interval 0.227–0.53; р

Objective: to assess the frequency of liver resections in patients with metastatic colon cancer and isolated non-resectable liver metastases receiving FOLFOXIRI. Materials and methods. In this single-center non-randomized prospective study, we assessed the frequency of liver resections. According to the statistical hypothesis, the frequency of R0-resections in patients with metastatic colon cancer receiving FOLFOXIRI is between 11 % and 33 % (mean 20 %); to increase it up to 50 % in patients with isolated metastatic lesions in the liver, we had to recruit 20 patients (with β = 0.9 and a = 0.05). We enrolled 20 patients with potentially resectable metastases and 22 patients with non-resectable metastases. The primary endpoint was the frequency of R0 liver resections; secondary endpoints included objective response rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, and tolerability of therapy. Patients receiving targeted therapy (according to the tumor mutation status) were also included in the study.Results. Objective response was observed in 32 out of 42 patients (76 %) (in 17 out of 20 participants (85 %) with potentially resectable metastases), whereas progressive disease was registered in 2 patients (5 %). Radical resection of organs affected by metastasis was performed in 19 out of 42 patients (45 %): 15 out of 20 (75 %) in the group with potentially resectable metastases and 4 out of 22 (18 %) in the group with non-resectable metastasis (р

This article demonstrates the experience of successful treatment of a patient with locally advanced rectal cancer, who received a combined treatment with a non-standard course of chemoradiotherapy in hypofractionation mode according to a prolonged program. After the end of a course of chemoradiation received the complete clinical response of the tumor.

Objective: to improve the outcomes of combination treatment of patients with rectal cancer using polyradiomodification and short courses of neoadjuvant radiotheragy.Materials and methods. A total of 905patients were included into this retrospective study based on the data retrieved from a prospective database. Of them, 241 patients underwent combination treatment with polyradiomodification (CT + PRM); 271 patients underwent combination treatment with preoperative radiotherapy alone (CT); 393patients underwent surgical treatment only (ST). Combination treatment with polyradiomodification included a course of radiotherapy with a total dose of 25 Gy delivered in 5 fractions (5 Gy each), rectal administration of biopolymer composition containing metronidazole at a dose of 10 g/m2 (5-h exposure in the rectum on days 3 and 5), and chemotherapy with capecitabine at a dose of 2 g/m2 on days 1—14 followed by surgery within the next 4—6 weeks. We analyzed the incidence of postoperative complications, 5-year relapse-free survival, and frequency of relapses.Results. The incidence of grade IIIB postoperative complications was significantly lower in patients who underwent combination treatment with polyradiomodification than in those who had surgery only (p = 0.0023) and those who had combination therapy without polyradiomodification (p = 0.0003). The 5-year relapse-free survival rate was 80.5 % in the group of CT + PRM compared to 64.9 % in the group of CT (p = 0.00315) and 60.1 % in the group of ST (p = 0.000001). The frequency of relapses was 0.4 %, 8.5 % (p = 0.00001), and 13.7 % (p = 0.00001) in the groups CT + PRM, CT, and ST respectively. There were no significant differences in the incidence of distant metastasis between the groups.Conclusions. The developed variant of combination treatment with polyradiomodification did not increase the number of complications and ensured better relapse-free survival due to improved locoregional control.

Background. Comparative assessment of the long-term oncological results of extended, combined and standard surgical interventions. Materials and methods. The study included women with histologically verified ovarian cancer T3—4N0—1M0—1. Group A (experimental) patients underwent advanced and combined surgical interventions; group B (control) patients underwent standard surgical interventions. In the postoperative period, all patients received 6 courses of polychemotherapy with a combination of platinum and taxanes. The authors compared the frequency of achieving optimal and conditionally radical operations after performing extended and combined operations and standard surgical interventions, the structure, frequency and causes of intra- and postoperative complications, and overall and disease-free survival.Results. From 2010 to 2018, we selected 150 archived case histories of patients with advanced ovarian cancer (III-IV stages). 135 (90 %) patients were able to track the long-term results of treatment. In group A (experimental), complete debulking was achieved in 52.8 %, in group B (control) — 26.7 %. In group A, 6 (19.9 %) patients had postoperative complications of I-II degree of severity, 1 patient had postoperative complications of IIIA degree of severity, complications of IIIB-IV degree of severity in the study group did not occur (p = 0.05). In group B, intraoperative complications were observed in 27 (22.5 %) patients. Postoperative I—II degrees of severity were observed in 28 (23.3 %) patients, III—IV degrees of severity — in 8 (6.6 %). In group B, the overall survival rate was 54.7 months, and re¬lapse-free was 14.3 months, in group A — 79.2 months and 19 months respectively (p = 0.004 and

Background. In this article, we analyze a 30-year experience of treating patients with rectal cancer and outcomes of sphincter-sparing surgeries (SSS) with manual coloanal anastomosis or mechanical colorectal anastomosis combined with various therapies.Objective: to optimize the indications for SSS considering tumor stage, treatment strategy, and overall performance status of a patient.Materials and methods. We analyzed short-term and long-term treatment outcomes of 1,440 patients with stage T2—3N0—2M0 rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent both surgery and various neoadjuvant therapies. A total of1,038 SSS were included into the final analysis. Four hundred and eighty-one patients underwent anterior rerections (AR) with mechanical anastomosis; 557patients underwent abdominoanal resections (AAR) with manual coloanal anastomosis; of them, 289 individuals had modified abdominoanal resection.Results. The overall frequency of postoperative complications after SSS was 24.3 %. The frequency of anastomosis leakage after AAR and AR was 9.5 % and 15 % respectively. Among patients with middle rectal cancer, there was no association between the type of surgery (AR or AAR) and the probability of relapse (p = 0.1823). In the subgroup with lower rectal cancer, patients that underwent abdominoperineal resection were more likely to have a relapse than those who underwent AAR (p = 0.042). The five-year overall survival rate reached 80 % in the group of SSS and 71 % in the group of abdominoperineal resection (p = 0.013). Year-on-year analysis of relapse-free survival after SSS demonstrated that it had significantly increased (from 63.5 % to 72.5%; p = 0.00077). The complex of rehabilitation measures in the early postoperative period after SSS ensures good functional effect in 51.5 % of cases.Conclusions. SSS planning should be considered from the standpoint of clinical experience as well as multivariate analysis of short-term and long-term treatment outcomes. Successful outcomes can be achieved by a combination of adequate surgical techniques and conservative rehabilitation even in patients with very low rectal cancer. Such combination ensures not only good cancer outcome, but also satisfactory functional results.

The purpose of the study was to compare the possibility of rapid activation of elderly patients after carotid endarterectomy performed under sevoflurane- or desflurane-based anesthesia. Materials and methods. 67 patients aged 75 to 89 years divided into two groups were examined. To maintain anesthesia, desflurane was used in the 1st group and sevoflurane was employed in the 2nd group. Results. Patients from the group receiving desflurane, experienced decreased ability to take a sip of water and to hold oneself in a sitting position, and were characterized by decreased time before the tracheal extubation. Conclusion. Desflurane-based anesthesia provided faster awakening and activation of elderly patients after carotid endarterectomy than the anesthesia with sevoflurane, which allowed to implement the fast-track recovery protocol. In addition, the desflurane-based anesthesia provided excellent manageability and less negative impact on the hemodynamics (within the drug concentration range of up to 1.3 MAC).

Objective: to analyze short-term and long-term outcomes of surgical, combination, and comprehensive treatment in patients with metastatic rectal cancer.Materials and methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on the outcomes of rectal cancer patients receiving surgical, combination (surgery + chemotherapy), or comprehensive (chemoradiotherapy + surgery + chemotherapy) treatment in the Department of Proctology at the N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of Russia, between 1999 and 2015. We assessed overall survival, frequency of postoperative complications, postoperative death rates and frequency of complications associated with chemoradiotherapy.Results. The study included 366patients that were divided into 3 groups according to the treatment strategy. The 2-year survival rate was 83 % in group 3 (comprehensive treatment) vs 40 % in groups 1 and 2. Median survival was 43 months in group 3 compared to 18 and 14 months in groups 2 and 1 respectively. The number of postoperative complications was 19 %, 13.4 %, and 15.1 % in groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively. There was one postoperative death (1.1 %) in group 3.Conclusion. Comprehensive treatment significantly improves overall survival of rectal cancer patients without increasing the risk of postoperative complications.

The article presents the data on the dynamics of cerebrovascular reserve indices according to various methods in the perioperative period of reconstructive surgical interventions. We analyzed the relationship between the cerebrovascular reserve and the comorbid factors, the informative value of its indices in predicting ischemic strokes and postoperative hyperperfusion complications.

Colon cancer is the 3rd most common malignant neoplasm and the 4th leading cause of mortality from them. The majority of patients are diagnosed at stages II–IV, which indicates the need for markers that can predict disease progression, especially after surgical treatment. Recently, there has been a growing interest in exploring circulating tumor DNA as a marker of residual tumor in colon cancer. In 2018, the N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology together with the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine under the coordination of the Center for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks initiated a research project entitled “Development of an assay for the diagnosis of various malignant tumors and treatment efficacy monitoring based on the analysis of circulating tumor DNA from patient blood”. This article provides a theoretical background for the project and a report on its progress made so far.

We report a case of successful treatment of a 15-year-old female patient (body mass index 16) diagnosed with Turcot syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis of the colon) combined with multiple primary malignant tumors, including anaplastic astrocytoma (received combination therapy in 2007), metachronous cecal cancer (underwent subtotal colectomy and 12 courses of polychemotherapy in 2016–2017), and metachronous stage III pT3N1M0 rectal cancer at 8 cm. The patient underwent laparoscopic low resection with extirpation of the ileosigmoid anastomosis, creation of a reservoir-rectal anastomosis, and preventive ileostomy. The patient had minimal intraoperative blood loss and uneventful postoperative period (with an accelerated rehabilitation protocol). She was discharged from a hospital on day 9. Considering previous treatment episodes and the disease stage, we also included into the treatment regimen adjuvant FOLFOX polychemotherapy in a reduced dose for 6 months. During one-year follow up, there was no evidence of disease progression. Later, the patient underwent ileostomy closure with forming a side-to-side mechanical anastomosis. The patient is fully rehabilitated in term of her social activity.

Objective: to evaluate the prognostic value of clinical and pathomorphological stages in patients with rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiotherapy and to assess the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy in these patients.Materials and methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the data from a prospectively maintained database for patients with rectal cancer. The study cohort included patients with stages I–III rectal cancer that underwent preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by surgical treatment performed in the Department of Proctology and Clinical Pharmacology and Chemotherapy between 2004 and 2013. The relapse-free and overall survival rates were assessed to estimate treatment efficacy.Results. A total of 457 patients were eligible for the study; of them 98 patients (21.4 %) received adjuvant chemotherapy. The following independent factors were found to negatively affect relapse-free survival: perineural invasion (р

Objective: to evaluate therapeutic pathomorphosis and Tand N-downstaging in response to various polyradiomodification regimens used in the combination therapy for rectal cancer.Materials and methods. A total of 241 patients received combination therapy for rectal cancer using 4 different polyradiomodification regimens. We assessed therapeutic pathomorphosis and tumor downstaging in these patients. Eighty-two participants (34 %) underwent polyradiomodification with a 14-day course of capecitabine (Cap) given in a therapeutic dose (2 g/m2body surface) (Cap14 + metronidazole (MZ) and Cap14 + MZ + microwave hyperthermia (MW-HT)), whereas the remaining 159 participants (66 %) underwent polyradiomodification with a 5-day course of Cap in a radiosensitizing dose (1.5 g/m2 body surface) (Cap5 + MZ and Cap5 + MZ + MW-HT).Results. Grade IV therapeutic pathomorphosis was observed in 19.5 % of patients treated with a 14-day course of Cap (Cap14 + MZ and Cap14 + MZ + MW-HT) and 1.3 % of patients treated with a 5-day course of Cap (Cap5 + MZ and Cap5 + MZ + MW-HT) (p = 0.00001). Patients receiving a 14-day course of Cap demonstrated T-downstaging significantly more often than those receiving a 5-day course (41.5 % compared to 9.4 % respectively, p = 0,00001). Regression of regional lymph node metastases was diagnosed in 51.1 % of patients from the Cap14 group only.Conclusion. Our findings suggest that grade III–IV therapeutic pathomorphosis and tumor downstaging are more frequently achieved in polyradiomodification regimens with a 14-day course of Cap at a dose of 2 g/m2 (Cap14 + MZ and Cap14 + MZ + MW-HT).

Objective: to assess short-term and long-term outcomes of right hemicolectomy with extensive lymph node dissection using the experience of one clinic.Materials and methods. This retrospective study analyzed data from a prospectively collected database containing information on all patients with right-sided colon cancer that underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with D3 lymph node dissection between 2013 and 2018. We estimated intraoperative blood loss, surgery duration (taken from anesthetic records), frequency of postoperative complications, length of in-hospital stay, duration of lymphorrhea, time to gastrointestinal recovery, integrity of the mesocolon, number and location of removed lymph nodes.Results. A total of 50 underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with D3 lymph node dissection. No cases of surgical conversion were registered. Median surgery duration was 185 min; median blood loss was 30 mL. No postoperative mortality was observed in the study cohort. Twelve (24 %) patients had postoperative complications; 2 (4 %) patients underwent repeated surgery. Median number of lymph nodes examined was 26; high-quality specimens (G ) were obtained in 48 (96 %) patients. At a median follow-up of 19.5 months, 2 (4 %) patients had disease progression (developed liver metastases).Conclusion. Our results confirm safety of laparoscopic approach for right colon resection with D3 lymph node dissection

Based on the results of worldwide clinical studies, survival of colorectal cancer patients with lung metastases is significantly influenced by curative resection, number of metastases and disease free interval. Intrathoracic lymph node metastases in combination with pulmonary metastases as well as the CEA level of greater than 10ng/ml are found to be the most unfavorable prognostic factors. Most studies have found no significant relationship between survival and the size of the primary tumor and unilateral/bilateral distribution of pulmonary metastases. However, some authors consider that bilateral metastasis and T3-4 tumors are unfavorable prognostic factors. The key factors for surgical treatment of pulmonary metastases are the feasibility of performing curative resection and the absence of other manifestations of the disease.

The article discusses the tactics and results of treatment of locally advanced colon cancer. We consider the reasonability of multivisceral colon resections in locally advanced colon cancer. The clinical case of locally advanced cancer of the left half of the colon, which got combined treatment, is presented.

Objective: to evaluate the long-term outcomes of combined treatment with polyradiomodification in patients with rectal cancer depending on the grade of therapeutic pathomorphosis. Materials and methods. The study included 241 patients that received combined treatment with polyradiomodification for T2–3N0–2M0 resectable rectal adenocarcinoma of varying degree of differentiation. All patients received a course of preoperative radiation therapy (5 × 5 Gy) combined with capecitabine and metronidazole (in a polymer composition at a dose of 10 g/m2 per rectum) on days 3 and 5. Some patients additionally underwent local hyperthermia. Four different polyradiomodification regimens were used. We assessed the frequency of relapses, metastases, and relapse-free survival depending on the grade of therapeutic pathomorphosis and cancer stage. Results. Median follow-up time was 48.5 months. One patient with stage III therapeutic pathomorphosis had relapse. Distant metastases were diagnosed in 35 (19.7 %) out of 178 participants with grade 0–II therapeutic pathomorphosis and 4 (6.3 %) out of 63 participants with grade III therapeutic pathomorphosis; the difference between these groups was statistically significant (p = 0.01). No metastases were observed in patients with grade IV therapeutic pathomorphosis. Among patients with T2–3N1–2M0 rectal cancer, the five-year relapse-free survival was higher in the group with grade III–IV therapeutic pathomorphosis compared to the group with grade 0–II pathomorphosis: 95.7 % versus 56.7 % (p = 0.00422). Conclusion. Our treatment strategy ensures good local disease control. Patients with grade III–IV therapeutic pathomorphosis have significantly lower frequency of relapses and metastases and better relapse-free survival.

Objective: to develop an effective, well-tolerated, convenient for outpatient care (without installing a subclavian catheter) three-component treatment regimen that includes ftorafur – an original oral fluoropyrimidine drug.Materials and methods. The study included 25 patients with disseminated colorectal cancer that have never received specific pharmacotherapy. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a new first-line three-component treatment regimen with oxaliplatin + irinotecan + ftorafur. Patients in group 1 (n = 6) received this regimen for 3 weeks, whereas patients in group 2 (n = 19) received it for 2 weeks.Results. Only preliminary results of the study are currently available. Median time to progression and overall survival are not yet estimated. Three (50 %) patients from group 1 achieved partial regression of metastases; 3 patients from this group had long-term (≥6 months) disease stabilization. Therapeutic effect (partial remission + long-term stabilization) was observed in all patients. Time without progression varied between 6 and 20 months. In group 2, therapeutic effect was estimated in 18 patients that received at least 2 courses of chemotherapy. Eight out of these 18 patients had partial response (2 of them underwent radical surgery); 8 patients had disease stabilization. Thus, 88.8 % of patients from group 2 responded to treatment. In the whole study population (both groups), response to treatment was achieved in 91 % of patients.Conclusion. Our preliminary results suggest that the combination of oxaliplatin, irinotecan and ftorafur is safe and has an acceptable toxicity profile; therefore, it can be used in weakened patients.

The clinical observation demonstrates a successful surgical treatment of a 61-year-old female patient K. (body mass index 38.4) diagnosed with locally advanced sigmoid colon cancer protruded into the bladder and uterus (сT4bN2M0) with formation of a colovesical fistula. The patient underwent surgical treatment in the form of laparoscopic resection of the sigmoid colon and supralevator anterior pelvic exenteration with formation of a Bricker conduit. Intraoperative blood loss was 200 ml. Postoperative period was smooth, with fast track rehabilitation; the patient was discharged on day 9. Considering cancer stage, the patient received XELOX as adjuvant chemotherapy for 6 months after the surgery. During a year of follow-up, no signs of disease progression were evident. The patient is fully socially rehabilitated.

In 1998, oncologists got a brand new antitumor drug – irinotecan. It’s been already 18 years since its approval for second-line polychemotherapy of metastatic colorectal cancer. Indications for irinotecan use were significantly expanded since that time; it is now used in combination with other therapeutic agents for first- or second-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with targeted drugs or separately; there are some studies assessing the use of irinotecan in neoadjuvant therapy. The article describes the history and modern schemes of irinotecan administration in treatment of colorectal cancer.

A new approach to combined treatment of patients with colorectal cancer with synchronous distant liver metastases is discussed in the article. The approach is based on simultaneous surgical treatment of the colon using laparoscopic method and via open liver resection. This hybrid technology allows to reduce the frequency of postoperative complications, minimize the duration of in-patient care, therefore decreasing time until drugs administration as well as treatment costs, ensuring early start of combined treatment. The description of clinical observations demonstrated the benefits of this method implementation.

Objective: to evaluate tolerability and efficacy of maintenance treatment in the absence of progression after 16 weeks of first-line therapy in patients with unresectable metastatic colon cancer.Materials and methods. We have analyzed medical case histories of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who underwent treatment in the department of clinical pharmacology and chemotherapy of N. N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center from 2007 to 2015 years. Inclusion criteria were the following: 16–24 weeks of first-line chemotherapy with no signs of progression and the inability to perform metastasectomy. Progression-free survival was the main criterion for effectiveness in our study.Results. 160 (44.5 %) of 359 treated patients met the inclusion criteria. 102 (63.7 %) patients were followed up, while the other 58 (36.3 % – comparison group) patients underwent maintenance chemotherapy. Grade I–II toxic reactions and grade III complications associated with first-line chemotherapy were insignificantly more common in the group of patients left on maintenance chemotherapy: 72.4 % and 37.9 % versus 57.8 % and 24.5 % in the comparison group, p = 0.07 and p = 0.07 respectively. The frequency of grade I–II toxic reactions and grade III complications in the second-line treatment did not differ between treatment groups (p = 0.9 and p = 0.8). The median of progression-free survival in observation group and comparison group was 4, and 6 months (odds ratio (OR) 0.6; p = 0.009), and life expectancy – 23 and 31 months (OR 0.75; p = 0.1), respectively. Statistically significant differences between groups with respect to achieving the objective response and/or normalization of carcinoembryonic antigen level were revealed: median of progression-free survival was 13 (n = 26 of 57; 45.6 %) and 4 months (n = 31 of 57, 54.4 %), respectively (HR 0.38; p = 0.002), median of life expectancy – 34 months versus 26 months (OR 0.37; p = 0.3). Conclusions. Carrying out maintenance therapy is associated with increased incidence of grade III complications during the first-line treatment, but does not affect the tolerability of the second-line treatment. Supportive chemotherapy with fluoropyrimidines remains to be the most effective in patients with favorable prognostic factors such as normalization of carcinoembryonic antigen and/or achievement of the objective response on the background of first-line chemotherapy.

Objective: to evaluate the impact of cytoreductive surgery on treatment results in patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous lung metastases.Materials and methods. This retrospective investigation analyzed the results of therapy in patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous lung metastases who had been treated in the period 2000 to 2012. The investigators studied the following indicators: the impact of cytoreductive surgery on the survival of patients with this condition, the clinical characteristics of a group of patients with isolated lung involvement, the dissimilarity of this group from a group of patients with extrapulmonary metastases, the possibility of performing complete cytoreductive surgery in patients with varying degrees of a metastatic process, and the number of patients with complications in primary tumor.Results. The investigations included the data of 112 patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous lung metastases. Out of them, 38 (33.9 %) patients had isolated lung involvement and the latter was associated with extrapulmonary metastases in 74 (64.1 %). In 16 of the 38 patients, isolated lung metastases were regarded as resectable and complete cytoreductive surgeries were performed. The median follow-up in the examined group was 15.2 months. One- and two-year overall survival rates were 63 and 45 %, respectively. The patients with isolated lung metastases were observed to have higher 2-year overall survival rates than those with multiple metastases (63.0 and 37.5 %, respectively; p = 0.055) and there were significantly higher 2-year overall survival rates in patients after removal of primary tumors than in those who had not undergone cytoreductive surgery (21.0 and 52.5 %, respectively; p = 0.004). Two-year overall survival rates were 72.5 % in the complete cytoreductive treatment group.Conclusion. The prognosis in the patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous lung metastases was better than that in those with isolated lung involvement and in those whose primary tumor had been removed. Complete cytoreductive surgical treatment can provide long-term survival in this category of patients.

Background. The aim of this study was to compare short and long-term outcomes after neoadjuvant short-course chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine ot tegafur for operable rectal cancer.Materials and methods. Patients with histologycally verified Т3N0M0, Т2–3N1–2M0 rectal cancer, who underwent 5 × 5 Gy neoadjuvant radiotherapy with local 41–45 °C hyperthermia on days 3–5 and metronidazole 10 g/m2 per rectum days 3, 5 were randomized to receive capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 bid per os days 1–14 or tegafur 400 mg/m2 bid per os days 1–21. Toxicity, tumor regression, sphincter preservation rate and long-term outcomes were analyzed.Results. During 2011–2013 26 patients were included in the tegafur group and 30 – in capecitabine group. Overall toxicity was 50 % in the tegafur arm and 36.7 % in the capecitabine arm (p = 0.42), grade III–IV toxicity (diarrhoea was the most common grade 3+ event) was observed in 23.1 % and 6.7 % (p = 0.13) patients accordingly. Grade III–IV tumor regression was observed in 34.6 % patients, who received tegafur and 53.3 % (p = 0.12) patients who received capecitabine. Sphincter-sparing surgery was performed in 84.6 % and 100 % (p = 0.04) patients who received tegafur and capecitabine accordingly. Median follow-up was 31.6 and 32.2 months accordingly. 3-year overall survival in capecitabine and tegafur arms was 95.4 and 82.1 % (р = 0.13), 3-year disease-free survival – 91 and 74 % (р = 0.029).Conclusions. Both fluorpyrimidines demonstrated comparable short-term outcomes with a tendency to better results in the capecitabine arm.

Adenocarcinoma of the anal canal is a rare cancer. There are a few publications dedicated to this problem only, since patients with this nosological entity are combined with groups of those with lower ampullary cancer of the rectum (despite differences in the nature of these diseases). This paper describes 2 clinical cases of multistep combination treatment for locally advanced and disseminated cancer (adenocarcinoma) of the anal canal. It shows that it is appropriate to apply an aggregate approach to diagnosing this rare disease. Successful experience in treating patients with locally advanced and disseminated cancer of the anal canal is demonstrated. Nonstandard therapeutic approaches and clinical decisions are used. Magnetic resonance imaging was a key technique to diagnose local disease advance in both cases. Radiation sensitizers with different mechanisms of action were used during chemotherapy; preference was given to organ-sparing surgical treatment in the patient with metastatic cancer to maintain quality of life. The paper gives a concise literature review of current methods for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Despite the fact that there are no uniform standards, most authors adhere to the opinion that treatment should be started with prolonged chemoradiation therapy cycles followed by surgery. The treatment of patients with the isseminated forms of the disease is strictly individual and calls for a special approach, by taking into account of quality of life and prognosis in a patient.

A new combined treatment scheme with short-course chemoradiotherapy and 2 selective radiosensitizers (metronidazole in a polymeric composition and local hyperthermia) is investigated in this article.Material and methods. 77 T1–3N0–2M0 rectal cancer patients treatment data was analyzed. All patients received 5 Ч 5 Gy radiotherapy with capecitabine 1300 mg/m2 days 1–5 per os and radiosensitization with local hyperthermia and metronidazole.Results. Investigated treatment scheme has acceptable toxicity and leads to high local control rate (none of the patients experienced local recurrence). 7 (9.1 %) patients developed distant metastases. 59 (76.6 %) patients had sphincter-sparing surgery. Median followup was 65.6 months. 5-year survival rate was 81.7 %.Conclusion. Developed treatment scheme is safe and leads to high local control rate.

Increased survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal due to improved technical equipment radiotherapy separated to oncology clinics. Creating conditions accurately summarizing the planned dose decrease absorption substituted doses to critical structures, reducing unscheduled interruptions in the course of chemoradiotherapy with modern technology conformal radiotherapy (3D CRT, IMRT, VMAT).Radiotherapy with intensity modulated (IMRT) and intensity modulation arches VMAT («Rapid Arc») held respectively at 9 and 5 paintion of squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal. At the same time the primary tumor and lymph node involvement is further subjected to daily exposure Simula mutant integrated boost (SIB).Application of these technologies allowed: 1) get high oncological result (complete tumor regression in all patients); 2) to reduce the radiation dose to critical organs (small intestine - the average minimum dose, Dose Mean) 34,0 Gy (with IMRT); 37,2 Gy (with 3D CRT); bladder - (Dose Mean) 24,2 Gy (with IMRT); 26,2 Gy (with 3D CRT), respectively; 3) reduce the frequency and intensity of acute radialdamage critical organs: toxic heavy early mucositis (III-IV degree) from the rectum and bladder were observed in any observation. Early proctitis degree I was diagnosed in 4 (28,6% of patients), proctitis Grade II in 5 (35,7%) patients. Early cystitis degree I was diagnosed in 3 (21,4%) patients, cystitis II degree in 6 (42,8%) patients; catarrhal mucosal epithelium of the female genital organs occurred in 8 (57,1%) patients; 1 month after the end of radiotherapy proctitis degree I recorded in 5 (35,7%) and cystitis I degree in 4 (28,6%) patients; 4) reduce the number of patients with forced interruptions termoradiohimioterapii: only 6 patients (42,8%) due to hematological toxicity grade I-II, II degree cystitis made a short break in treatment, the duration of which was 5-8 days; 5) Use simultanting integrated boost (SIB) has led to a reduction in duration of the full course termoradiohimioterapii 7 working days compared to traditional small fraction 3D CRT radiation therapy; 6) the use of space modulated radiotherapy arches (VMAT - «Rapid Arc») has allowed to reduce the time of a session of radiotherapy with IMRT compared with 20-30 minutes to 3-5 minutes.Volume modulated radiation therapy technology using SIB reduce the time the patient’s treatment, the number of complications and achieve complete tumor regression.