Ovarian tumor antigens: preliminary histological investigation.

The immunoglobulin IgG was isolated from the immune complexes obtained from the ascitic fluids of patients with ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma. The IgG isolates did not react in immunoperoxidase staining of normal ovarian, fallopian tube, or endocervical tissue. In contrast, the IgG isolates did react in immunoperoxidase staining of autologous and allogeneic ovarian cancer tissue. However, the staining was variable in terms of areas of positivity and was completely absent in some serial sections. This variability was also evident in control sections of an ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma that was positive for the carcinoembryonic antigen. In addition, it appears that serous and mucinous ovarian cancers may share common antigenic determinants. These results demonstrate the antigenic heterogenous nature of ovarian cancer.