SEROLOGICAL REACTIVITY IN CANCER-PATIENTS TO HUMAN AND MOUSE FETAL LIVER-CELLS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 38  (2) , 401-407
Abstract
The occurrence of antibodies to human and mouse fetal liver cells was quantitated in the sera from patients with carcinoma of breast, colon and lung and with malignant melanoma. Cross-reacting murine antibodies were demonstrated in the sera from multiparous, antifetal and pregnant tumor cells. A comparative evaluation of these antibodies with 2 immunological techniques demonstrated a greater number of positive sera from cancer patients assayed by isotopic antiglobulin (25 of 27, or 92%) than by membrane immunofluorescence (12 of 17, 0r 71%). In the non-cancer control group, positive reactions were found in 11 and 31% by the 2 techniques, respectively. The specificity of such serological reactivity was demonstrated by adsorption with fetal liver cells. These detected antibodies are not restricted to a particular type of human neoplasm, but rather to the presence of cancer. Because of their relative capacity of discrimination between benign and malignant conditions and because the assay for teir detection if relatively simple, these techniques may provide alternative methods for diagnosis or monitoring of cancer patients.

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