Pancreatic oncofoetal antigen (POA): its frequency and localisation in humans.

Pancreatic oncofoetal antigen (POA) has been isolated by affinity chromatography and used to standardise an immunoassay. POA was detected in foetal serum and in 97% of sera from 75 patients with carcinoma of the pancreas. Raised levels were also found in 16% of sera from 43 patients with chronic pancreatitis and in 3 of 156 patients with related conditions. Using an immunoperoxidase method, POA was regularly found in the foetal pancreas and in adult carcinoma of the pancreas. Weak staining was found in the foetal pancreas and in adult carcinoma of the pancreas. Weak staining was found in one carcinoma of the colon. Antisera from two other groups (Gelder and Moossa; Arndt and Thiele) react with the same antigenic moiety as does our anti-POA.