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The data available in the literature on the prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC), its risk factors and genetic aspects are analyzed. Basic screening tests and their diagnostic value are described. The paper indicates the importance of methods (colonoscopy, occult blood feces analysis, fecal immunochemical test, determination of molecular genetic profile of fecal enterocytes) for the early primary diagnosis of colonic epithelial tumors and techniques (echography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography) that are required to specify clinical TNM staging and enable one to choose an optimal treatment policy for CRC patients owing to the estimation of tumor volume and to the diagnosis of reginal and distant metastases. It also shows that new screening methods based on the detection of molecular markers for early (premorphological) tumor stages are promising. The role of primary CRC prevention aimed at molding and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the population is demonstrated.

Late diagnostics of colon cancer along with high specific weight of the patients of elder age groups indicated the urgency of study of application of cytoreductive surgery in elderly and senile patients of with colorectal cancer. A comparative assessment of the results of cytoreductive operations (primary tumor resection) was made in two groups of patients with disseminated colon cancer (younger and older than 60 years old). It was stated, that the performance of palliative resection allowed them to obtain of encouraging remote results, provide more higher survival rates than in patients of young and mean age groups. The more frequent development of complications after cytoreductive operations was associated with decompensation of accompanying pathology in patients of elder age groups. These data confirmed the need of their adequate correction in preoperative period. The application of cytoreductive surgery significantly improved the quality of life of the patients of elder age groups with disseminated forms of colon cancer.

Results of treatment of 277 patients with colorectal cancer stage IV complicated by the urinary tract invasion, were analyzed. Men were 168 (60.7%); women - 109 (39.3%). Patients aged 31-79 years (59.6±5.7) years. All patients were operated on radically with the resection of the invaded parts of the urinary tract en bloc. Both abdominal surgeons and urologists took part in the operation. The study proved that the invasion of the urinary tract by colorectal cancer should not become a reason for the surgery refusal. The subtotal resection of the urinary bladder by its cancer invasion demonstrated the appropriate radicalism and functional postoperative results. The efficacy of such combined operations was proved by the high level of social adaptation of the operated patients - 18 (51.4%) of 35 followed up patients came back to the previous level of social activity. Urinary tracts' resection did not influenced the level of postoperative lethality.

Cognitive dysfunction may be associated with the presence of an array of hormono-metabolic factors of risk for certain basic noninfectious diseases, supposedly, including cancer. The investigation was concerned with an appraisal of such cognitive functions as verbal and eye memory and ability to concentrate in endometrial and colorectal cancer patients versus hormonometabolic status and relevant parameters in menopausal women. The indices of short-term memory and concentration in endometrial carcinoma were significantly higher than both in colorectal cancer and osteoporotic patients. However, they were not among healthy women of the same age. A whole range of relationships between said indices and glucose- and estradiol levels in blood serum of patients was studied. No link was established between blood-serum cholesterol, b-lipoproteide and insulin concentration in patients, on the one hand, and cognitive function, on the other. Further research is expected to disclose the ties of the latter with other hormono-metabolic factors as well as tumor-related stress.