Serological investigation into the association between Streptococcus bovis and colonic cancer.

AIMS

To determine if there was an increase in antibody titre to Streptococcus bovis in patients with colonic cancer, and if this might be a useful marker of the presence for colonic cancer.

METHODS

Serum samples from 16 patients and 16 age matched controls were tested by immunoblot and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) against antigen preparations from two strains of S bovis and one strain of Enterococcus faecalis.

RESULTS

No distinction between cancer patients and controls could be made using immunoblots. ELISA did show an increase in antibodies to S bovis, but there was a greater increase in antibodies to E faecalis. The increase in antibody titres was greatest with antigens which had been treated with periodate, and was therefore thought not to be caused by antibody to the shared group D carbohydrate antigen.

CONCLUSION

It may be possible to construct a test for the detection of colonic cancer based on the detection of antibody to S bovis or E faecalis, though considerable further development of this concept is required.