Tumor-associated antigens in female genital tract cancers.

The immunologic reactivity of glycoprotein antigens extractable from individual, histologically different ovarian and uterine cancers was studied taking into account their relationship with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), nonspecific cross-reacting antigen (NCA), alpha-feto-protein (AFP), and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin. All studies were performed using specific immune sera against perchloric acid (PCA) extracts of ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (anti-PCA-CaOm) and cervical squamous cell carcinoma (anti-PCA-CaCx), and antisera against the reference antigens mentioned above. A considerable antigenic heterogeneity and the existence of several immunologically related antigenic systems were found: 1) CEA-like antigens; 2) NCA-type antigens; 3) an antigen different from CEA and NCA present in ovarian mucinous adenocarcinomas and often cross-reacting, but not identical with respective antigens of uterine body and cervical carcinomas; 4) an antigen reacting with anti-alpha-1-anti-chymotrypsin serum; and 5) an antigen reacting with anti-AFP serum.