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Aims: The purpose of this prospective study was to describe the incidence and distribution pattern of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in intraoperative dissected lymph nodes and to relate this to the pathological confirmation of metastasis. Methods: Samples of primary cervical cancer lesions and dissected lymph nodes were obtained from women undergoing surgical treatment. The presence of HPV DNA was detected by the polymerase chain reaction. Results: Tissue from 79 tumours and 365 lymph nodes was analysed. Metastasis to the lymph nodes was found in 19 cases. Metastasis correlated with the volume of the primary lesion, the depth of cervical and vaginal invasion, and with invasion of the corpus. HPV DNA was found in 60 of the primary lesions and 31 of the lymph nodes. The presence of HPV DNA in the lymph nodes correlated with the volume of the primary lesion and vaginal invasion. Conclusions: The incidence of HPV DNA in lymph nodes is twice as high as that of histopathologically confirmed metastases. The risk of the presence of HPV DNA and histopathologically confirmed metastases in lymph nodes is related to certain features of the primary tumour.C arcinoma of the uterine cervix, the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, is one of the most important health issues for women. Infection with certain oncogenic types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is considered a prerequisite for the development of the disease.1 The involvement of HPV in the development of cervical cancer is well established.2 3 In recent years, there has been growing interest in HPV because of the emerging evidence of its oncogenic potential, particularly in the anogenital tract.1 4 The prevalence of HPV infection in cervical cancer tissue is estimated to be in the range of 90%, and according to the Eurogin Committee it may be up to 99%. 6In a previous study, we found a lower prevalence in our region. 7Early detection of the preinvasive states of the disease leads to uncomplicated treatment and a good survival rate. Unfortunately, in Poland most cervical cancers are detected at advanced, invasive stages. The patients mostly undergo radical hysterectomy (Piver III). The survival of patients after radical hysterectomy depends on several factors, such as tumour size, histological tumour type, lymph node involvement, and the surgeon's skill. 8 9 The most important predictive factor seems to be the metastasis status of pelvic lymph nodes. Nevertheless, there are some patients with histopathologically negative pelvic nodes who unexpectedly have recurrences and a short life expectancy. Several studies have focused on the correlation between HPV status and lymph node involvement.1 10-12 Most have involved hybridisation 1 13 or the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect HPV-16 and HPV-18. ''Unfortunately, in Poland most cervical cancers are detected at advanced, invasive stages''The purpose of our prospective study was to describe the incidence and distribution pattern of HPV DNA in intraoperatively dissected lymph nodes and pathologically confirme...

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The study was undertaken to characterize the effects of porcine galanin (pGal) and some of its analogues on rat gastric fundus muscle strips. pGal, galantide (M15) and pGal(1-14)-[Abu8]SCY-I evoked reproducible concentration-dependent contractions in concentrations of 1-300, 3-1,000 and 100-3,000 nM, respectively, with EC50 values of 13, 70 and 187 nM. Hill's coefficient for pGal is 1.03, indicating an interaction of one pGal molecule with one receptor, fulfilling criteria of classical receptor theory. For M15 and pGal(1-14)-[Abu8]SCY-I, Hill's coefficients are significantly different from 1, namely 0.73 and 1.56, so that one drug molecule may not interact with one receptor. The stimulatory effects of pGal were not modified by dibenamine 10 microM or glybenclamide 1 or 10 microM. Diltiazem 0.1, 1 and 10 microM, papaverine 0.1, 10 microM or dibutyryl cAMP (dib cAMP) 100 and 300 microM, blocked the contraction to pGal in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating an important role for the influx of extracellular calcium ions and regulation by cAMP the pGal-evoked contraction. Diltiazem, dibutyryl cAMP and papaverine were not competitive antagonists of pGal in the stomach smooth muscle.