Influence of tumours on normal cells and optimal chemotherapy regimens: the case of several drugs and toxicity constraints.

Cancer chemotherapy with the application of several drugs is studied. The negative and inhibiting effect of the tumour on normal cells is taken into account. Under certain hypotheses, we determine the optimal regimen that minimizes the tumour burden at the end of a fixed period of therapy while maintaining several normal cell populations above prescribed levels. More precisely, it is demonstrated that the optimal drug administration corresponds to the strategy of intensive chemotherapy.     

The statistics on malignant neoplasms of the urinary and male genital organs in 1987 in the USSR

The USSR statistics on malignant neoplastic diseases of the urinary system and male sexual organs which comprised 5.7 per cent in the total mortality was presented for the first time. More than a 50 per cent increment in the death rate from these tumors was documented between 1975 and 1987. Annually, prostatic carcinoma is diagnosed in almost 10 thousand patients and cancer of the urinary bladder in 15 thousand patients. Maximal prevalence of the disease has been recorded in the Baltic republics, the Ukraine and Byelorussia. The detection rate of the aforementioned diseases, Stages I-II, is about 40 per cent. The estimate revealed that the total number of the registered oncological patients was 100 thousand persons. The problems in organization of the oncological care system, material and technical supplies and professional training should be considered.     

Statistics of oncourologic diseases in Russia in 1996

The trends in male urinary and genital cancer morbidity and mortality are specified. Statistics on separate malignant urological diseases are provided. In 1996 the number of patients with cancer of male urinary and sex organs reached 31.700. A growth in morbidity was due rather to a higher risk to develop the disease than because of changes in the population age. Urological cancer reduces mean life span of Russian population by 2 months, and the patients' life terminates 10-19 years earlier. Financial losses due to deaths of urological cancer stand as high as 197 million roubles as estimated in 1990 prices.