Immunohistochemical demonstration of tumor antigen TA-4 in gynecologic tumors.

Tumor antigen TA-4, raised against human cervical squamous cell carcinoma, was studied by an immunoperoxidase method in various gynecologic tumors. TA-4 was detected invariably in normal differentiated cervical squamous cells. It was also found infrequently in normal glandular cells of the cervix, but not in the endometrium. In squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix, TA-4 was positive in the differentiated cells regardless of invasiveness or histological type. It was demonstrated in some adenocarcinomas of the cervix, and less frequently in those of the endometrium. In ovarian tumors, TA-4 was localized occasionally in a variable number of glandular tumor cells of serous, mucinous, endometrioid, and clear cell carcinomas. Only a few transitional cells contained TA-4 in a Brenner tumor. Squamous components of ovarian tumors, both benign and malignant, were frequently positive for TA-4.