Department of Oncology

The Department of Oncology and Medical Radiology of Belarusian State Institute for Advanced Medical Training was founded in 1960 on the clinical base of Scientific and Research Institute for Oncology and Medical Radiology. The founder of the department was professor N.N.Aleksandrov, a prominent scientist and health professional, a talented teacher and physician, a hero of socialist labor, corresponding member of the Academy of Medical Sciences of SSSR, Doctor of Medical Sciences.

The department has 2 clinical bases: N.N.Aleksandrov Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Oncology and Medical Radiology and Minsk City Clinical Oncology Dispensary.

N.N.Aleksandrov Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Oncology and Medical Radiology has 6 main units, including 4 scientific units and 10 scientific laboratories; 17 hospital units and 15 diagnostic units; Republican Center for Positron Emission Tomography. The center has well-developed diagnostic services, modern experimental and clinical laboratories, including morphological, molecular-genetic, radionuclide, immunological, biochemical, bacteriological laboratories, divisions of endoscopy and ultrasound, division of X-ray diagnostics, including computer tomography rooms, magnetic resonance imaging rooms, angiography rooms.

Annually, more than 19 thousand cancer patients are diagnosed and receive surgical, radiation, drug, combined and complex treatment at N.N.Aleksandrov Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Oncology and Medical Radiology (830 beds, 20 operating rooms). Annually, staff of the center carries out more than 12 thousand complicated operations on head and neck, mammary gland, lungs, esophagus, stomach, colon and small intestine, urogenital organs, bones and soft tissues, central nervous system and spine. Surgical oncologists of the center widely perform video-assisted, reconstructive and organ-preserving operations.

N.N.Aleksandrov Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Oncology and Medical Radiology has 4 present-day linear electron accelerators, stereotactic gamma therapy unit “gamma knife”, brachytherapy devices. These devices are used by specialists of the department during seminars and lectures.

Fields of scientific researches

• improvement of the methods of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and rehabilitation of patients with malignant tumors of head and neck;
• development of radiomodification methods with the application of physical methods (ultrasound, magnetic fields);
• study of the efficiency of photodynamic diagnostics and therapy of oropharyngeal tumors with the application of photolon;
• development of diagnostic and treatment methods of skin melanoma and skin cancer;
• development of the methods of combined and complex treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors;
• development of the methods of organ-preserving treatment of  musculoskeletal tumors.
• study of molecular and genetic peculiarities of tumors aiming at the improvement of diagnostics and individual treatment of malignant tumors.

The department offers courses for oncologists and surgical oncologists:

1. Oncology (retraining course, full-time mode of study) (4 months)
2. Oncosurgery (retraining, full-time mode of study) (4 months)
3. Diagnostics and treatment of chest cavity tumors and gastrointestinal tract tumors (for surgeon-oncologists and surgeons) (1 month)
4. Main aspects of oncology and organization of oncology services (for head doctors and vice-doctors for clinical work, district oncologists) (0,5 month)
5. Chemo- and hormonetherapy of malignant tumors (for oncologists) (0,5 month)
6. Diagnostics and treatment of gastrointestinal tract tumors (for surgeons-oncologists and surgeons) (0, 5 month)
7. Diagnostics and treatment of mammary gland tumors (for oncologists) (0,5 month)
8. Diagnostics and treatment of malignant tumors of the central nervous system (for neurosurgeons, oncologists, radiologists) (0,5 month)
9. Actual issues of diagnostics and treatment of malignant tumors (for lecturers of higher medical educational establishments) (0,5 month)

For radiation oncologists:

• Radiology (retraining, full-time mode of study) (4 months)
• Distance methods of radiation therapy of tumors of separate localizations (0,5 month)
• Radiation therapy of chest tumors, head and neck tumors (0,5 month)
• Radiation therapy of tumors of pelvic organs (0,5 month)
• Radionuclide diagnostics in clinical practice (for physicians of radionuclide diagnostics, radiologists, radiation oncologists) (0,5 month)
• Dosimeter measurements in radiation therapy (for physicists, engineering staff workers of health establishments) (0,25 month)
• Equipment and dosimetry in radiation therapy (for physicists, engineering staff workers of health establishments) (0,25 month)

For physicians of non-oncology profile:

• Differentiated diagnostics and treatment of benign and malignant skin tumors (for oncologists, dermatovenerologists, cosmetologists, pediatricians, general practitioners) (0,5 month);
• Screening and early diagnostics of mammary gland tumors (for general practitioners, therapists, obstetricians and gynecologists, oncologists) (0,5 month);
• Early diagnostics and treatment of malignant tumors (for general practitioners, therapists, surgeons, obstetricians and gynecologists, dermatovenerologists, oncologists) (1 month);
• Methods of diagnostics and treatment of malignant tumors in surgery practice (for surgeons) (0,5 month)
• Methods of diagnostics and treatment of malignant tumors in therapy practice (for therapists) (0,5 month)
• Diagnostics and treatment of urogenital tumors (for oncologists and urologists, working at hospitals) (0,5 month)
• Diagnostics of mammary gland tumors in therapeutic and gynaecologic practice (for therapists, gynecologists) (0,5 month)
• Diagnostics and treatment of head and neck tumors (for otorhinolaryngologists, oncologists) (0,5 month)
• Diagnostics and treatment of pre-malignant conditions and malignant tumors of female genital organs (for gynecologists, surgical oncologists, oncologists) (0,5 month)
• Diagnostics and treatment of tumors of musculoskeletal system (for orthopedists and traumatologists, oncologists) (0,5 month)
• Modern methods of diagnostics and treatment of malignant tumors (for laboratory physicians working at cytologic laboratories) (0,5 month)

Specialists working at the department were awarded honorary certificates by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, Higher Attestation Commission of the Republic of Belarus, Health Council of Minsk City Executive Committee, BelMAPE.