Kazakhstan is known as a country with a complex radioecological situation resulting from different sources such as a natural radiation background, extensive activities of the industrial system of the former Soviet Union and a well-known testing of nuclear power weapons occurred in the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) area. The present study focuses on the assessment of the background of dicentric chromosomes in Kazakhstan’s population, which is the starting point in the dose assessment of irradiated people, since the baseline level of spontaneous dicentrics can vary significantly in different populations. In this context, aiming to determine the background frequency of chromosome aberrations in the population of Kazakhstan, considering the heterogeneity of natural radiation background levels of its large territory, a selection of 40 control subjects living in four cities of North, South, West and East Kazakhstan was performed. The cytogenetic study on the selected groups showed fairly low background frequency values of chromosome aberrations (0.84 ± 0.83 per 1000 cells), comparable with other data in the literature on general populations, reporting background frequency values between 0.54 and 2.99 per 1000 cells. The obtained results should be taken into account when constructing the dose–effect calibration curve used in cytogenetic biodosimetry, as a “zero” dose point, which will reduce the uncertainty in quantifying the individual absorbed dose in emergency radiological situations.

One of the current issues of atmospheric pollution is particulate matter (PM). PM can be of both natural and anthropogenic origin. This review summarizes the current concepts of PM, as well as approaches to their classification and toxicological properties. The most significant and dangerous for the environment are particles with aerodynamic sizes of 2.5 and 10 micrometers (PM2.5 and PM10). The main sources of PM include construction, mining, fuel and energy enterprises, as well as road transport. The article provides a comparative analysis of the current environmental standards for PM2.5-10 in Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, the EU, China, and the USA. In the EU, China, and the USA, there are no single maximum permissible concentration (MPC) limits for PM2.5, as is the case in the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan. However, the EU and USA have stricter average daily and annual MPC limits for PM2.5-10. Analysis of data on the continuous exposure to PM2.5-10 in the EU, China, and the USA has allowed us to identify the main risk groups associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as mortality. The complexity in assessing the toxic effects of PM2.5-10 stems from the significant variability and instability in their chemical composition, morphology, and dispersion properties. The main strategy for managing risks and improving public health outcomes is to reduce levels of PM2.5-10 pollution. In Kazakhstan, government measures to monitor and control the concentration of PM aim to reduce air pollution, but they have not been sufficiently effective in addressing public health risks.

Atmospheric pollution by fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) poses a severe threat to public health in industrial regions of Kazakhstan, such as Ust-Kamenogorsk and Pavlodar, where a sharp continental climate exacerbates toxic element accumulation. This study aimed to compare the elemental composition of PM_2.5 in Ust-Kamenogorsk and Pavlodar using ICP-OES (FPI EXPEC-6500) and ICP-MS (FPI SUPEC-7000), identify key pollution sources through chemometric approaches, and quantitatively evaluate inhalation health risks for adult and pediatric populations. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed contrasting emission profiles: Ust-Kamenogorsk was dominated by non-ferrous metallurgical signatures, whereas Pavlodar was driven by high-ash coal fly ash from thermal power plants, ferrous metallurgy, and petrochemical operations. Non-carcinogenic health risks were exceptionally high in both cities, with cumulative hazard indices exceeding the safe benchmark (HI = 1.0) by over 500-fold, predominantly driven by extreme contributions of Zn (HQ_inh = 304.7) and Al (HQ_inh = 129.5). Carcinogenic risks for adults were governed by Cr and As, reaching 8.7·10⁻⁴ and 4.1·10⁻⁴ in Ust-Kamenogorsk, and 4.4·10⁻⁴ and 5.0·10⁻⁴ in Pavlodar, respectively—exceeding the maximum acceptable threshold (1·10⁻⁴) by up to 9-fold. For children, Cr presented an elevated risk (1.7·10⁻⁴) in Ust-Kamenogorsk, while borderline values were observed in Pavlodar.

This study presents a retrospective physico-dosimetric analysis of differences between two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) treatment planning approaches in high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for 20 patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. The research was conducted at the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology of the Abai Region between 2023 and 2025 and included two independent cohorts of 10 treatment plans each, generated using the GammaMed Plus iX after loading system and the BrachyVision treatment planning software. A key methodological feature of the study was the use of a dedicated CT topometric provider table, enabling indexed patient positioning and eliminating geometric uncertainties during preparation for 3D treatment planning. The aim of the study was to quantitatively assess differences in clinical target volume coverage and dose exposure to organs at risk during the transition to 3D planning. To ensure methodological comparability, in accordance with GEC-ESTRO recommendations and ICRU Report 89, retrospective contouring of the high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV) and organs at risk (OARs) was performed on archived CT images for the 10 plans in the 2D cohort, followed by recalculation of volumetric dosimetric parameters. The primary dosimetric endpoints included HR-CTV D90 and OAR D2cc for the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid colon. Statistical analysis of independent samples demonstrated that 3D planning, supported by precise target fixation, is associated with reduced variability of HR-CTV D90, improved dose distribution conformity, and the ability to accurately assess volumetric dose exposure to organs at risk. The obtained results are consistent with international guidelines and highlight the advantages of three-dimensional planning in improving the accuracy, quality, and safety of brachytherapy in oncological practice in Kazakhstan.

The study was conducted at the Center of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (Semey) and is devoted to a comparative dosimetric analysis of external beam radiotherapy planning parameters for locally advanced cervical cancer. Three- dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) were compared in terms of dose distribution quality and dose burden to organs at risk. Treatment planning was performed for 25 patients using a TrueBeam linear accelerator with daily patient setup verification based on IGRT/CBCT. Plan quality was evaluated using dose–volume histograms, including D95% for the planning target volume (PTV), conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI), as well as absolute dose parameters (Dmean, Dmax) for organs at risk, in accordance with RTOG criteria and QUANTEC recommendations. The analysis demonstrated that VMAT provided the most favorable dosimetric performance, with a high conformity index (CI = 1,03±0,02) and a low homogeneity index (HI = 0,09±0,02), ensuring more uniform and accurate PTV coverage compared with IMRT and 3D-CRT. A key finding was a substantial reduction in dose burden to pelvic organs at risk: VMAT resulted in an average 25–30% reduction in overall dose compared with 3D-CRT, while the mean dose to the rectum (Dmean) decreased to 33,0 Gy. In addition, VMAT significantly reduced the average treatment delivery time to 5–7 minutes, thereby lowering the risk of intrafraction motion. The obtained results confirm the dosimetric advantages of VMAT and substantiate its feasibility for routine clinical use in a regional oncology center.

Radiopharmaceuticals based on ligands targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) are recognized as the “gold standard” for prostate cancer (PCa) imaging using positron emission tomography (PET). This study presents, for the first time in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the results of adapting an automated one-step radiosynthesis technology and performing a comprehensive quality assessment of the [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007 radiopharmaceutical at the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (Semey, Abai Region). During the study, the direct nucleophilic radiofluorination protocol was optimized, resulting in a stable radiochemical yield (mean 48%) while reducing the total synthesis time to 35–40 minutes. A full quality control cycle confirmed complete compliance of the final product with the European Pharmacopoeia specifications, including radiochemical purity (97–98%), sterility, and apyrogenicity. The successful implementation of this project represents a strategic milestone in the development of nuclear medicine in Kazakhstan. The validated stability and quality parameters of [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007 provide a scientific and methodological basis for scaling up hightechnology production at future cyclotron facilities across the country. The introduction of this radiopharmaceutical into clinical practice significantly improves the accuracy of prostate cancer staging and recurrence detection in Kazakhstan in accordance with international standards.