THE ROLE OF RADIOTHERAPY AT SPECIALIZED TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT TUMORS AND TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT OF RADIOTHERAPY SERVICE IN THE REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN
Aim. To study the qualitative indicators for radiotherapy of patients with malignancies and the level of technical equipment of radiotherapy service in the Republic of Tatarstan. Methods. The incidence of malignant tumors, the number of patients treated with radiotherapy at the Tatarstan Regional Clinical Cancer Center since 2002 to 2012 were assessed. The comparative analysis of relative parameters characterizing the radiotherapy service and the level of technical equipment of radiotherapy service in the Republic of Tatarstan compared to Turkey and Japan. Results. The increase in number of patients treated with radiotherapy over time was noted. Nevertheless, compared to data from Turkey and Japan, the share of patients who offered radiotherapy as a method of complex treatment of patients with malignancies in the Republic of Tatarstan stays below the recommended levels compared to Turkey and Japan. Only 18.4% of patients receive radiotherapy during the first year of the disease. The remote radiotherapy equipment rate in the Republic of Tatarstan is twice lower compared to Turkey and Japan. Only 50% of the minimal recommended technical equipment units quantity for remote radiotherapy are available in the Republic of Tatarstan, with over than a half of this number out-of-date. Conclusion. Healthcare optimization and wide use of out-patient service along with modernizing the radiotherapy service allowed to increase the coverage of patients with malignancies with radiotherapy during the last years, hence the use of radiotherapy as a method of complex treatment of patients with malignancies in the Republic of Tatarstan stays below the recommended levels, to increase in further, the re-equipment of the radiotherapy service with the modern equipment for remote radiotherapy is necessary.