[The clinical significance of antibody against oncofetal antigen-I in patients with gynecologic tumors].

Oncofetal antigen-I (OFA-I) is a membrane antigen of human cancer cells that cross-reacts with fetal brain tissues. OFA-I has been shown to be immunogenic in man by its ability to provoke humoral antibody in cancer patients which has tumoricidal potential with in vitro and in vivo experimental systems. This study evaluated the antibody profile against this antigen in relation to the course of disease. Twenty seven out of 39 patients with gynecologic tumors had persistently stable antibody levels and antibody titer in six of them increased by more than 4-fold. These patients did not show either recurrence or death, but had a good prognosis. In twelve patients, antibody levels dropped by more than 4-fold and was followed by clinical recurrence and death. These studies show that persistently stable antibody titers are predictive of non-recurrence, and decreasing titers predictive of recurrence.