Preliminary studies of sera and urine from patients with bladder cancer.

Some preliminary observations may be helpful as we proceed with studies of the humoral and cellular reactions in body fluids. 1) In the reactions with TAA from primary bladder cancers and from bladder cancer cell lines, we must be aware of complexing when we study sera or tumors from patients with more invasive tumors. 2) Earlier stage patient sera can react to antigens present in urine but may not react with antigens present on tumor cells. These reactions are mainly related to cell sediments or partially insoluble material present in the urine; it is difficult to interpret these reactions in a controlled study. 3) Using sera from patients with different stages of bladder cancer, we can test normal bladder cell lines (e.g., HCV-29, which has no CF reactivity with sera from patients with bladder cancer) for comparison with the patterns of TAA present in cancer cell lines (e.g., RT-4 and T-24). 4) There is no relationship between HSV and bladder TCC. 5) Cytomegalovirus and its components are associated with normal or cancer-related cell and urine components. We can study differentiation of such antigens from TAA, which produce cell-mediated immune responses.