[A clinico-pathological implication of ABO (H) blood group substances expressed in the primary lesion of uterine cervical carcinoma].

The disappearance of ABO(H) blood group antigens seen in the lesions of carcinoma of the uterine cervix has been studied by the Avidin-Biotin-Complex (ABC) method and the results have been correlated with histology and prognosis. The incidence of cases showing complete loss of A or B antigens was increased with progression in the pathological picture of cancer, whereas H antigen, known as precursor carbohydrate chains of A and B antigens, was still sustained even in most cases of invasive cancer. In the tissue of invasive cancer, the complete loss of H antigen was easily able to be demonstrated in the small cell non-keratinizing type of carcinoma, but it is hardly able to be seen in the large cell non-keratinizing type and not demonstrated in the keratinizing type of carcinoma. Though no relationship was recognized between the disappearance of A, B or H antigens and parametrial spread of carcinoma or metastasis to the pelvic lymphnodes, the incidence of patients who died within two years after operation was apparently higher in the H antigen negative group than in the H antigen positive group. It is concluded that the disappearance of A or B antigen may correlate with the invasiveness of the cancerous lesion, while that of the H antigen may reflect the grade of dedifferentiation of the neoplasia with the implication of an unfavorable prognosis.