New horizons of cooperation
The problem of malignant neoplasms is one of the most important and complex problems of medical science and health care. Nowadays, cancer is often called the disease of the century because just at the end of XX and at the beginning of XXI centuries, malignant tumors have occupied the second place in the world in terms of morbidity and mortality, giving way only to cardiovascular system diseases. According to WHO forecasts, in the nearest future oncology pathology will take the first place in these indicators. This dictates the need to study epidemiology and cancer causes, molecular-genetic and carcinogenesis mechanisms, to develop new methods of early diagnosis and treatment, including the use of minimally invasive technologies. But it is important to unite common world efforts against this heavy pathology, to carry out joint international research and to exchange practical experience. Therefore, to-day the main criteria in choosing cooperation partners must be experience, reputation, professionalism, infrastructure, the ability to be progressive, combination of science and practice.
One of the largest oncological centers in Europe is the European Institute of Oncology (IEO, Milan) which was created on the initiative of the Italian well-known surgeon-oncologist, former Minister of Health of Italy, Chairman of the Nuclear Energy Safety Agency, public figure, pacifist, Professor Umberto Veronesi (1925-2016). The creation of such a Center provided for the implementation of the most modern technologies in the field of international oncology. By the invitation of Professor Umberto Veronesi, the working visit of Professor A.V. Prokhorov, Head of the Department of Oncology of BSMI, to IEO took place in April 2014.
To-day, the European Institute of Oncology is the multidisciplinary Oncological Center having at its disposal of about 420 beds and the most modern equipment (PET, CT units and MRT-diagnosis, Da Vinci's robotic technology, devices of video thoratic and laparoscopic interventions, ect.). The Center offers patients the most advanced diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases of all localizations, as well as it is actively involved in scientific and clinic studies. The training of medical personnel and young oncologists all over the world, educational programs, oncological disease prevention programs are among the most important directions of the Center activity.
The priority principles of IEO are: continuous quality improvement of medical services and service quality, individual approach to a patient, interdisciplinary approach to treatment, use of international cooperation experience, improvement of theraupetic strategies by implementing new technologies into everyday clinic practice. Thanks to IOE Scientific Director, Professor U. Veronesi, the Institute has achieved the best success in the breast cancer treatment. Treatment is personalized according to certain subtypes of breast cancer in order to minimize treatment scales and to provide maximum efficacy. Professor U. Veronesi is the author of the progressive surgical method – quadrantectomy. In the vast majority of cases, in during such treatment we manage to avoid crippling surgical interventions and save the patient’s breast.
During the visit, there was an acquaintance with diagnostic and clinic departments of the Institute (abdominal oncological surgery, urological surgery, departments of minimally invasive surgery and endoscopy, etc.) Following the visit, the meeting was organized with Honorary President of the European Institute of Oncology, Scientific Director, Prof. Umberto Veronesi, Head of the International Department of the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) Carlo Pampari, Executive Director of IEO (СЕО) Mauro Melis, Head of the Department of Molecular Genetics Prof. David Serrano, Head of the Department of Abdominal Surgery Prof. Roberto Biffi, Head of the Department of Oncological Urology Prof. Ottavio de Cobelli, Head of the Department of Endoscopy Prof. Cristiano Crosta, Head of the Internship and Exchange Physician Luzia Zigliani.
The foreign colleagues were especially interested in the presentation of the educational and scientific activity of the Belarusian State Medical Institute and the Department of Oncology, the information on the tasks of the University and its structure, the BSMI leading role in preparing top-qualification medical personnel in the Republic. The information of the basic principles of organization of oncological care in the Republic, scientific directions and studies of the Department of Oncology, the organization of postgraduate education within the framework of the postgraduate courses, al studies, and competition, international cooperation of our Institute provoked discussion and approval.
The end result of the working visit was the Agreement on Mutually Beneficial Cooperation including joint research on actual oncology problems, joint participation and organization of conferences, preparation and publication of joint articles, in international journals, training of young oncologists within the framework of postgraduate education. Practical implementation of particular directions and cooperation tasks of the Belarusian State Medical University and the European Institute of Oncology will increase the level of theoretical and practical training of young physicians and teachers of the Department of Oncology, undergraduate students, graduate students and applicants, as well as the scientific level of dissertation studies at the Belarusian State Medical University.
At the Conference dedicated to the 40th Anniversary of the Department of Oncology, in his report Prof. Roberto Biffi, Head of the Department of Abdominal Oncological Surgery, shared the experience of using Da Vinci’s robotic technology in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer.
For more than 20 years, the Department of Oncology has been cooperating closely with the Medical University of Belostok (Poland). Many times the employees of the Department delivered their reports at the scientific and scientific-practical conferences organized by BSMI and the Medical University of Belostok. The research results were published in the cited medical university Journal of Advances in Medical Sciences.
During many years the scientific and practical interests in diagnosis and treatment of liver and pancreas tumors unite the Department of Oncology and the Asclepios Barmbek Clinic (Germany, Hamburg) and directly Head of the Clinic Professor Karl Jurgen Oldhaffer. The scientific cooperation result is the joint publication “Surgical treatment of pain in case of chronic pancreatitis” in the European Journal of Hepato-Gastroenterology (2012; 59(116):1265-9).
Within the framework of implementation of the agreement on cooperation with the Medical University of Ain Shams (Egypt), for 2021 the consultations on joint research in the field of diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, bladder cancer, pancreas cancer, etc. were planned at the Department of Oncology of the University.