Specific lymphocyte sensitization in cancer: is there a common antigen in human malignant neoplasia?

From human cancer tissue a basic protein can be extracted by the method which yields encephalitogenic factor when applied to human brain. This tumour basic protein (obtained from several different neoplasms) acts as an antigen in the cytopherometric test for malignant neoplasia and in general gives higher results than does brain basic protein. The reverse is true when degenerative disease of the nervous system is studied. The basic protein extractable from brain and from tumours thus has some degree of specificity probably referable to its amino-acid sequence.