[Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in patients with malignant diseases: frequency of occurrence and immunological characterization (author's transl)].

We report about the occurrence and importance of antinuclear antibodies in patients with malignant diseases. - We analyzed 110 sera of patients with tumors and found in 42% ANA. In contrast a corresponding control group contained ANA in 1.8%. - Patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and those of the digestive tract possessed ANA in a comparable percentage of 36 and 39, respectively. - Sera of patients with mamma- and uteruscarcinoma contained ANA in nearly 50%. - A connection between the type of the tumor and occurrence of ANA can be assumed. - Antibodies were directed against different antigens of the nucleus, often simultaneously occurring. Antibodies which we have detected, belong to different classes of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM and IgA). In most cases we found a combination of antibodies. In 51% of positive cases antibodies were able to fix complement.