Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is an aggressive primitive tumor with limited differentiation of rhabdomyoblasts. Primarily, it occurs in children and teens under 15 years of age in the head and neck region (in 40 % of cases). In patients older than 19-20 years, ARMS is significantly less common and is localized primarily on the limbs, while head and neck region is affected in about 24 % of all cases, involvement of the orbit in the tumor process is very rare. ARMS progression in adults is more aggressive than in children, and prognosis is more unfavorable due to development of regional and distant metastases at the time of diagnosis. Hence, selection of antitumor therapy is limited to drug treatment. Use of multimodal approach to therapy allows to improve treatment outcomes and increase quality of life in patients with ARMS.

The article presents a case of diagnosis and surgical treatment of a serous borderline ovarian tumor in a patient in the first trimester of pregnancy. Instrumental diagnosis of ovarian tumors during pregnancy includes ultrasound examination throughout pregnancy and magnetic resonance imaging in the second and third trimesters. Dynamic ultrasound of the uterus and its appendages showed a tumor of the right ovary, its growth and structural changes were observed leading to suspicions of malignancy. An operation was performed: laparoscopic adnexectomy on the right with express histological examination, lavage of the abdominal cavity, resection of the greater omentum, biopsy of the abdominal membrane. Histological examination confirmed serous borderline ovarian tumor. Subsequent medical care was aimed towards pregnancy prolongation. The described case of serous borderline tumor corresponded to stage I of the disease which allows to hope for a favorable prognosis for the performed surgical treatment.

Objective: To assess the impact of mesorectal excision for upper rectal cancer on long-term treatment results.

Materials and methods. 227 patients with upper rectal cancer in the period between January 2004 and December 2014 were analyzed. The study included patients over 18 years of age with upper rectal cancer, stage T2-4N0-2M0. The patients were divided into 2 groups: partial mesorectal excision (PME) and total mesorectal excision (TME).

Results. 226 (99.6 %) of 227 patients underwent surgical treatment. PME was performed in 199 (85.4 %) patients, TME in 27 (14.6 %) patients. TME was significantly more often performed in patients with preoperative treatment (р = 0.03). Operative time did not differ significantly between the two groups (TME - 186 minutes and PME - 168 minutes; р = 0.34). Postoperative complications were observed in 12.3 % of cases with no significant differences between the groups (TME - 14.3 %, PME - 12.1 %; р = 0.68). Anastomotic failure was noted in 7.1 % of cases, all in the PME group. Median follow-up was 57 months. The number of deaths was 29 (12.8 %), in the PME group - 27 (13.6 %), and in the TME group - 2 (7.4 %) (р = 0.61). Local recurrences developed in 4 (2.2 %) patients of the PME group and none in TME group. Distant metastases were diagnosed in 2 patients (8 %) of the TME group and 23 patients (12.1 %) of the PME group (р = 0.509). Overall 5-year survival in the TME group was 79.6 %, in the PME group - 86.3 % (р = 0.463), and 5-year disease-free survival was 79.3 % and 86 %, respectively (р = 0.521).

Conclusion. Multivariate analysis showed that the volume of mesorectal excision did not affect the rate of disease recurrence and disease-free survival in both groups.

The incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) relapses is 8-30 % and depend on disease stage, presence of unfavorable prognostic factors and treatment programme. Modern second-line treatment programmes are based on gemcitabine and carboplatin with following autologous stem cell transplantation and can reach many-year overall survival in 70 % of patients. For increasing treatment efficacy of relapsed HL monoclonal antibodies (brentuximab vedotin) and checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab) are supplemented. Nowadays it makes an assessment of immunochemotherapy efficacy in patients with relapsed HL, determines long-term effects of treatment. Nevertheless, preliminary results allow to find a significant therapeutic advantages of immunochemotherapy with following autologous stem cell transplantation above standard polychemotherapy.

Dysphagia and formation of scarring stenoses after laryngectomy are common complications in oncological practice. One of the treatment methods for the strictures is endoscopic balloon dilation which is characterized by relatively high effectiveness. However, in patients who underwent both laryngectomy and chemoradiation treatment (before or after surgery), the risk of recurring scarring strictures is significantly higher. The article describes a case of successful treatment of a patient with dysphagia after integrative treatment of laryngeal cancer consisting of chemoradiotherapy and laryngectomy. After multiple procedures of balloon dilation, endoscopic stenting of the scar narrowing was performed.

Recently due to significant successes in drug therapy of malignant tumors, the question of quality of life of patients has become more important. Cyclical drug treatment implies intravenous infusion of antitumor agents. Complications associated with this type of therapy include phlebitis and extravasation and, in some cases, lead to full obliteration of vessel lumen and vast skin and hypoderm necrosis. Multiple venous punctions can with time lead to significant technical difficulties in accessing the vein and limit the continuation of therapy. This drives the necessity to search for rational approaches to patient safety during both outpatient and inpatient antitumor drug treatment. To solve this problem, fully implanted venous port systems were developed and implemented in clinical practice which provide organization of aseptic continuous venous access, as well as infusion pumps (for independent prolonged intravenous therapy). Use of these devices allows for continuity and cycling of treatment process, significantly improves patients' quality of life by not limiting daily activities.

In the article we present our experience of using microinfusion single-use mechanical systems for antitumor drug therapy and relief of intense pain syndrome in patients with malignant disorders of hematopoietic tissue and solid tumors.

Adverse events affecting the cardiovascular system are one of the most serious problems in the general management of patients with oncological diseases, since they can jeopardize the success in the treatment of malignant neoplasms. Despite modern methods of treatment, some chemotherapeutic drugs, such as anthracyclines, HER2 /ErbB2 inhibitors can have a pronounced effect on the cardiovascular system. These toxic effects lead to cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure, vascular toxicity and even death. It is important for oncologists and cardiologists to understand the basic diagnostic and treatment strategies that should be used in the event of toxicity of this kind.