Plant lectins--histochemical and cytochemical applications in oncology.

Lectins are sugar binding proteins or glycoproteins of non-immune origin derived from various plants or animals with specific sugar binding capacity. This property of lectins can be used to identify structural differences between normal and malignant cells. Malignant transformation is accompanied by several changes in cell membrane. Studies have shown that the lectin binding pattern of these cells may indicate the invasive potential of tumours. Lectins can also be used as carriers. Lectins conjugated to chemotherapeutic agents has been found to be more useful in the treatment of tumours induced in animals.