Adaptation of the cellscan technique for the SCM test in breast cancer.

The value of the SCM (Structuredness of Cytoplasmic Matrix) cancer test, a procedure based on the detection of differences in lymphocyte activation in the presence and absence of cancer, has remained controversial, with inconsistent results having been reported among investigators. The Cellscan, a high-precision static cytometer system, has been designed to perform the SCM test; the apparatus facilitates the polarisation measurements and can examine cells which have been separated by simpler procedures than were originally described. In this study, using methods and diagnostic criteria adapted for the Cellscan system in a hospital environment, the SCM test correctly classified over 90% (76/80) of patients with breast cancer and differentiated over 90% (72/73) of individuals without cancer.