Serologic Approaches to Tumor Diagnosis

Abstract

Extensive efforts have been expended in the area of serological detection to tumor diagnosis. Basically this area of study has been evaluated using three distinct immunologic approaches. The first encompasses tests which detect immune responses to tumor “putative” specific antigens; in the case of human cancer little success has been achieved. A closely related endeavor has been made to develop assays which measure impairment of the immune response caused by tumor products, ie, an attempt to serologically measure the delayed hypersensitivity defect. Again, equivalent blood assays to measure this immune parameter have not found general acceptance in the clinical laboratory. Noteworthy success has been achieved by a third approach, the development of assays which detect antigens associated with neoplasms, termed tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). A major shortcoming of these assays is that the TAAs presently identified demonstrate cross reactivity with normal adult tissue counterparts, as well as share inherent properties with embryonic or fetal tissues, thereby negating tumor specificity.