[Premature rupture of membranes before 34 weeks of pregnancy as a medical problem]. / Pekniecie blon plodowych przed 34 tygodniem ciazy jako problem medyczny.

Rupture of membranes before 37 weeks of pregnancy occurs in 2-3% of all pregnant women and is the leadingcause of premature birth. It always significantly complicates the course of pregnancy. The scale of the problemincreases with decreasing gestational age. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge on epidemiology,diagnosis, monitoring, available methods of treatment, and the outcome of this serious complication.

The presence of prostate cancer at biopsy is predicted by a number of genetic variants.

Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been associated with an elevated risk of prostate cancer risk. It is not established if they are useful in predicting the presence of prostate cancer at biopsy or if they can be used to define a low-risk group of men. In this study, 4,548 men underwent a prostate biopsy because of an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA; ≥4 ng/mL) or an abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE). All men were genotyped for 11 selected SNPs. The effect of each SNP, alone and in combination, on prostate cancer prevalence was studied. Of 4,548 men: 1,834 (40.3%) were found to have cancer. A positive association with prostate cancer was seen for 5 of 11 SNPs studied (rs1800629, rs1859962, rs1447295, rs4430796, rs11228565). The cancer detection rate rose with the number of SNP risk alleles from 29% for men with no variant to 63% for men who carried seven or more risk alleles (OR = 4.2; p = 0.002). The SNP data did not improve the predictive power of clinical factors (age, PSA and DRE) for detecting prostate cancer (AUC: 0.726 vs. 0.735; p = 0.4). We were unable to define a group of men with a sufficiently low prevalence of prostate cancer that a biopsy might have been avoided. In conclusion, our data do not support the routine use of SNP polymorphisms as an adjunct test to be used on the context of prostate biopsy for Polish men with an abnormal screening test.

The G84E mutation in the HOXB13 gene is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer in Poland.

BACKGROUND: The G84E mutation in the HOXB13 gene has been associated with a high lifetime risk of prostate cancer in North America (about 20-fold). The geographical and ethnic extent of this recurrent allele has not yet been determined. METHODS: We assayed for the presence of the G84E mutation in 3,515 prostate cancer patients and 2,604 controls from Poland and estimated the odds ratio for prostate cancer associated with the allele. RESULTS: The G84E mutation was detected in 3 of 2,604 (0.1%) individuals from the general population in Poland and in 20 of 3,515 (0.6%) men with prostate cancer (Odds ratio [OR] = 5.0; 95% CI: 1.5-16.7; P = 0.008). The allele was present in 4 of 416 (1.0%) men with familial prostate cancer (OR = 8.4, 95% CI: 1.9-37.7; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The G84E mutation predisposes to prostate cancer in Poland, but accounts for only a small proportion of cases. We expect that the G84E founder mutation might be present in other Slavic populations.

[Concentration of soluble ligand for receptor CD30 (sCD30L)--marker of apoptosis in women with ovarian tumor]. / Stezenie rozpuszczalnego liganda dla receptora CD30 (sCD30L)--markera procesu apoptozy u kobiet z nowotworem jajnika.

OBJECTIVES: Impairments of apoptosis processes are the basis of pathogenesis of many diseases, including ovarian tumors. The aim of the study was to evaluated the concentration of soluble ligand for receptor CD30 (sCD30L)--marker of apoptosis in women with ovarian tumor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study comprised 80 women, aged from 21 to 62, and included 30 patients with Cystadenocarcinoma serosum la, 35 with Cystadenoma serosum and 15 women with Teratoma maturum. The control group consisted of 30 healthy women, aged 24 to 57, with no evidence of pathological disorders in the reproductive system. The concentration of sCD30L in the serum of all studied women and in the fluid of ovarian cyst of women with cystadenoma serous were measured by immunoenzymatic method ELISA. RESULTS: The highest level of sCD30L was observed in the serum of women with ovarian cancer and it was significantly higher when compared to the concentration in the serum of women with cystadenoma serous and teratoma maturum of the ovary (p < 0.0001). In the fluid of ovarian cyst, the concentration of this marker was significantly higher in comparison with the level in the serum (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In women with ovarian tumors we observed impairments of the apoptosis process, which is associated with an increased concentration of sCD30L in the serum. These changes are more intense in women with ovarian cancer. Higher level of the study parameter in the fluid of ovarian cyst is associated with the local immune response suppression.

[Concetration of anticardiolipin antybodies in peritonel fluid and in fluid from lymphocytes culture in women with endometriosis]. / Stezenie przeciwcial antykardiolipinowych w plynie otrzewnowym i w plynie z hodowli limfocytów kobiet z endometrioza.

AIM: The aim of our work was to study both the concentration of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) in peritoneal fluid in women with endometriosis and to examine peritoneal lymphocyte ability to produce anticardiolipin antibodies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Study group included 30 women with endometriosis. The clinical stages of the disease were assessed by the revised American Fertility Society (rAFS) classification. Reference group included fifteen healthy women, with excluded endometriosis and other pathological disorders within the pelvis. The concentration of aCL in the peritoneal fluid and in fluid from lymphocyte culture was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent ELISA assay. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed significantly increased mean concentration of aCL in peritoneal fluid in women with endometriosis compared to women from the reference group (p<0.0001). The concentration of aCL in fluid from lymphocyte culture was also significantly higher in samples from women with endometriosis than from the reference group (p<0.0001). The highest mean levels of aCL in peritoneal fluid and in fluid from lymphocyte culture were observed in samples from women with stage I of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: An increased level of anticardiolipin antibodies in peritoneal fluid in women with endometriosis and increased antibodies production by lymphocytes may suggest an impairment of humoral immunity and its intensification in the early stages of the disease.

[Metabolic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in women with ovarian tumours]. / Aktywnosc metaboliczna granulocytów obojetnochlonnych krwi obwodowej kobiet z nowotworem jajnika.

OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN: Neutrophils play important role in first line defence an they release soluble growth and chemotactic factors and guide the recruitment of non-specific immune effector cells. We estimated the activity and ability to reduce of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) by peripheral blood neutrophils in women with benign or malignant ovarian tumours. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed on 43 women between the ages of 19 and 72 with ovarian tumours. Cystadenoma serosum was diagnosed in 19 women, Cystadenocarcinoma serosum in 9, and teratoma adultum in 15 women. Venous blood samples were obtained prior to the operation. The control group consisted of 30 women their age range was from 22 to 60 years. In peripheral blood samples from both groups; there leukocyte counts and total neutrophils were determined. Metabolic activity was investigated by nitroblue tetrazolium reduction spontaneous (NBTsp) test, and stimulation by latexs (NBTst) test. RESULTS: In women with ovarian tumours, the index of spontaneous NBT reduction turned out to be significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.0001). In the group studied, the index of latex-stimulated NBT reduction was significantly lower than that in the control group (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Intensity oxidation-reduction changes of neutrophils in reduction NBT in women with ovarian tumours were observed.

[Significantly increased interleukin-1A and interleukin-1 soluble type II receptor levels in women with ovarian cancer]. / Istotny wzrost stezenia interleukiny-1 alpha oraz rozpuszczalnego receptora dla interleukiny-1 typu II w surowicy kobiet z rakiem jajnika.

OBJECTIVES: Recent studies indicate that interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) is an autocrine growth factor for some ovarian cancer cells and suggest that IL-1 alpha plays an important role in the progression of this disease. However, soluble IL-1 receptors as IL-1 sRII, can modulate the effects of IL-1 alpha by acting as IL-1 alpha antagonists. The aim of our study was to compare serum IL-1 alpha and IL-1 sRII levels in patients with benign and malignant gynaecological tumours and in control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pretreatment serum samples were obtained from 72 women with gynaecological tumors. This study included 37 patients with gynaecological cancers (21 with cervical cancer, 16 with ovarian cancer), and 35 women with benign gynaecological disorders (20 with ovarian tumour, 15 with uterine myoma). As a control group, sera were obtained from 20 healthy female volunteers. The levels of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 sRII were measured by ELISA (R&D Systems, Inc, Minneapolis, USA). RESULTS: Serum IL-1 alpha and IL-1 sRII levels in women with ovarian cancers were significantly higher than those in cervical cancer, and in patients with benign disorders, and in healthy control (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggests that IL-1 alpha has a strong association with ovarian cancer.

Nephrogenic adenoma of the urinary bladder--a case report and review of the literature.

Nephrogenic adenoma is a rare benign lesion of the urinary tract involving mainly the urinary bladder. The clinical manifestations, endoscopic signs and histopathological pattern of NA should be differentiated from a cancer, which may be a source of misinterpretation. Here we report a case of a 70-year-old man previously treated for papillary urothelial carcinoma. Six months later he developed a tumour, giving rise to a suspicion of recurrence. Histopathologically the tumour was diagnosed as nephrogenic adenoma. It is the first case of nephrogenic adenoma in Polish literature.