Editorial

Dear Colleagues!

We present to your attention a special issue of the Sechenov Medical Journal, that focus on the problems of oncology. The release of the issue is associated with very significant events in the history of this branch of medicine.

Sechenov University is the birthplace of Russian and European clinical Oncology. Until the end of the XIX century, neither in Russia nor in Europe there were scientific medical institutions focused on the study and treatment of oncological diseases.

On February 24 (12), 1898, at the meeting of the Board of the Imperial Moscow University, Professor of the Department of Hospital Surgical Clinic Lev Lvovich Levshin proposed to establish a special institute for the treatment of cancer. The idea was warmly supported by prominent people of that era, who undertook the financing, construction and equipping of the building.

Five years later, on November 18 (December 1), 1903, the grand opening of the Oncological Institute took place – the first in Russia and Eastern Europe. In the Institute the first laboratory of experimental oncology was created – the pathogenesis of malignant tumors was studied on tissue cultures: redox and immunopathological processes; radiation therapy for cancer has been developed; the first epidemiological studies were carried out; preventive measures were developed.

The whole brilliant history was the reason for the editorial board to approach the leading oncological institutions of our country with an invitation to publish their work in the special issue.

The content of the issue turned out to be very interesting, authoritative oncologists of Russia presented new methods for diagnosing and treating tumors of various localization.

We hope that this experience will make a significant contribution to the development of domestic and world oncology and, undoubtedly, will confirm the authority of Russia as one of the leaders of medical science!

Igor V. Reshetov,
Dr. of Sci. (Medicine), Professor,
Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Director of the Institute of Cluster Oncology
named after Professor L.L. Levshin,
Head of the Department of Oncology, Radiotherapy
and Reconstructive Surgery,
Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University
(Sechenov University)