Immunization is the most successful method in preventing and controlling infectious diseases, which has helped saving millions of lives worldwide. The discovery of the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection being associated with a variety of benign conditions and cancers has driven the development of prophylactic HPV vaccines. Currently, four HPV vaccines are available on the pharmaceutical market: Cervarix, Gardasil, Gardasil-9, and the recently developed Cecolin. Multiple studies have proven the HPV vaccines’ safety and efficacy in preventing HPV-related diseases. Since 2006, when the first HPV vaccine was approved, more than 100 World Health Organization member countries reported the implementation of HPV immunization. However, HPV vaccination dread, concerns about its safety, and associated adverse outcomes have a significant impact on the HPV vaccine implementation campaigns all over the world. Many developed countries have successfully implemented HPV immunization and achieved tremendous progress in preventing HPV-related conditions. However, there are still many countries worldwide which have not created, or have not yet implemented, HPV vaccination campaigns, or have failed due to deficient realization plans associated with establishing successful HPV vaccination programs. Lack of proper HPV information campaigns, negative media reflection, and numerous myths and fake information have led to HPV vaccine rejection in many states. Thus, context-specific health educational interventions on HPV vaccination safety, effectiveness, and benefits are important to increase the vaccines’ acceptance for efficacious prevention of HPV-associated conditions.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies among men worldwide. While prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening has improved early detection, it has also led to significant challenges regarding overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Overdiagnosis involves identifying indolent tumors unlikely to affect a patient’s lifespan, while overtreatment refers to unnecessary interventions that can cause adverse effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and a reduced quality of life. This review highlights contributing factors, including the limitations of PSA testing, advanced imaging techniques like multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI), medical culture, and patient expectations. The analysis emphasizes the need for refining screening protocols, integrating novel biomarkers (e.g., PCA3, TMPRSS2-ERG), and adopting conservative management strategies such as active surveillance to minimize harm. Risk-based screening and shared decision-making are critical to balancing the benefits of early detection with the risks of unnecessary treatment. Additionally, systemic healthcare factors like financial incentives and malpractice concerns exacerbate overuse. This review advocates for updated clinical guidelines and personalized approaches to optimizing patient outcomes while reducing the strain on healthcare resources. Addressing overdiagnosis and overtreatment through targeted interventions will improve the quality of life for PCa patients and enhance the efficiency of healthcare systems.

Objective: to assess the current state of gastric cancer (GC) incidence and its five-year survival across Aktobe region of western Kazakhstan from 2009 to 2018 by presenting key indicators and analyzing the most significant features. Methods: Rough incidence rates (per 100,000) and average annual percent changes (aAPCs) were estimated for each age group at diagnosis with respect to gender, ethnicity, residence, the disease stages, tumor subsite, and histology type using linear regression analysis, including the prognostic index for 2019-2020. Overall five-year survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Overall GC incidence increased from 19.2 to 29.3, and averaged 25.8 (R2 0.65) with aAPC of 3.2%, with a potential to further rise (30.4 by 2020, p<0.001). Non-cardia location (17.8, p<0.001, aAPC 6.4%) and intestinal type of the tumor (17.0, p<0.001, aAPC 7.35%) were predominant. The observed overall five-year survival rate was 28.4% (95% CI 24.5;32.3) with a median survival time of 8.0 months (95% CI 6.6;9.4). Groups aged 40-49 and ≥70 had the lowest rates (24.4% and 22.1%, respectively, log-rank p 0.008), but the youngest individuals (18-39 years) showed the shortest median survival time, 5.0 months after diagnosis at the survival rate of 29.4%. Resectional surgery contributed significantly to the median survival time, 23.0 months vs. 6.0 in non-operated patients (log-rank p<0.001). Conclusion: GC in Aktobe region was featured by growing incidence and unsatisfactory five-year survival rates. Indigenous males of 60-69 years old with intestinal histology type, as well as the youngest patients irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, and other characteristics were recognized as high risk groups. Besides, relatively high aAPC 5.1% in the youngest revealed their further expected vulnerability. Further research is suggested to focus on risk factors, including gene expression profiling, to find out an accessible preventive strategy.

The rapid digitalisation of the medical field has heightened concerns over protecting patients’ personal information during the transmission of medical images. This study introduces a method for securely transmitting X-ray images that contain embedded patient data. The proposed steganographic approach ensures that the original image remains intact while the embedded data is securely hidden, a critical requirement in medical contexts. To guarantee reversibility, the Interpolation Near Pixels method was utilised, recognised as one of the most effective techniques within reversible data hiding (RDH) frameworks. Additionally, the method integrates a statistical property preservation technique, enhancing the scheme’s alignment with ideal steganographic characteristics. Specifically, the “forest fire” algorithm partitions the image into interconnected regions, where statistical analyses of low-order bits are performed, followed by arithmetic decoding to achieve a desired distribution. This process successfully maintains the original statistical features of the image. The effectiveness of the proposed method was validated through stegoanalysis on real-world medical images from previous studies. The results revealed high robustness, with minimal distortion of stegocontainers, as evidenced by high PSNR values ranging between 52 and 81 dB.

They studied the effect of the herbal medicine "Burdock root oil" on oxidative damage to liver, kidney and blood tissues. The experiment was performed on 50 non-linear white male rats weighing 180-220 g, divided into 5 groups. The first group - control; animals of groups II and III were subjected to fractional gamma irradiation for five days (0.6 G/day; dose rate 1 Gr/min (60Co)). The total dose was 3 Gr. Animals of the fourth and fifth groups were exposed to a combination of gradiation (as in groups I and III) and potassium dichromate (Cr+6). Potassium dichromate was administered intraperitoneally daily at a dose of 2.8 mg/kg of body weight (0.1LD50) for 5 days (0.5LD50). Rats of groups 3 and 5 received Burdock root oil at a dose of 2.5 ml/kg of body weight intragastrically for 14 days prior to the experimental exposure. Fractional exposure, combined exposure g-radiation, gamma radiation and Cr+6 led to an increase in malondialdehyde and diene conjugates in blood plasma, liver and kidney tissues. Under g-irradiation, the activity of superoxide dismutase enzymes (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in red blood cells compensation increased significantly against the background of a decrease in the level of SH-groups in blood plasma. In liver and kidney tissues, all studied enzymes and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels decreased. Under the conditions of combined exposure g-radiation and potassium dichromate - all the studied indicators of antioxidant protection decreased. The introduction of Burdock root oil before isolated and combined exposure provided significant antioxidant protection in the studied tissues. Conclusion: it can be assumed, that the "Burdock root oil" it is a potential drug that can be used as a radiation protector, in conditions of combined influence of a physical and chemical agent-a detoxifier. In our opinion, the antioxidant potential of the herbal medicine justifies the continuation of further research in clinical practice.

Relevance: According to WHO, malignant neoplasms rank second in population mortality structure due to a constantly increasing influence of technogenic factors that have a direct carcinogenic effect on the body and suppress defense mechanisms. Ionizing radiation plays a special role in the development of cancer. It is used in industry, agriculture, medicine, and scientific research as a diagnostic tool in modern healthcare and radiation therapy for cancer treatment. The consequences of radiation influence are not only the result of a direct effect on the body but also a delayed one through generations of parents and grandparents. According to the radiobiological hypothesis, any level of radiation, no matter how small, ОБЗОРЫ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ Онкология и Радиология Казахстана, №4 (70) 2023 45 poses a risk of long-term consequences, including cancer, in exposed people and their descendants of the first two generations. That is, cancerous tumors are likely consequences of the influence of radiation. Despite various theories of the biological effect of low doses of ionizing radiation, most authors attach primary importance to DNA damage in the manifestation of genetic effects (the concept of non-threshold mutational action). The study aimed to highlight the role of ionizing radiation in tumorigenesis. Methods: Data from MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was analyzed to select and analyze relevant information over the past 10 years using the keywords: gamma irradiation, spontaneous oncogenesis, prevention of oncogenesis, Results: Radiation exposure may increase the risk of cancer development due to epigenetic changes leading to increased genomic instability (GI) and/or specific suppression of tumor suppressor genes. Changes in the TP53 gene network expression occur; the most significant genes as predictors of carcinogenesis are ST13, IER3, BRCAI, LRDD, and MRAS. Epigenetic changes also influence individual susceptibility to radiation-induced cancer. In addition to the mutagenic effects of ROS and AFN, there is also evidence that oxidative stress plays a fundamental role in epigenetic modifications. Conclusion: As a result of radiation exposure, damage occurs that causes genetic and epigenetic changes, leading to changes in the level of protein expression due to changes in the methylation of cytosine residues in DNA, modification of histones, and regulation of microRNA expression.