Cervical carcinoma antigens in the diagnosis of human squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

The use of tumor-associated antigens (TAA) in the diagnosis of human squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining of second cervical scrapes and touch preparations of normal and carcinomatous tissue. Rabbit antisera, prepared against human cervical squamous cell carcinoma homogenates and absorbed with normal human cervix and plasma, were used to stain 103 second cervical scrapes by indirect immunofluorescence. Of these specimens, 59 were positive by immunofluorescence, whereas the remaining 44 were negative. Compared with conventional cytologic diagnosis, positive immunofluorescence was detected in 100% (49/49) of the second scrapes from patients with cervical dysplasia or carcinoma (for a false-negative rate of zero). Of the second cervical scrapes from 57 patients negative by cytology, 13 were positive by immunofluorescence (for a false-positive rate of 22.8%). Indirect immunofluorescence tests on tumor touch preparations also revealed cervical TAA in other types of gynecologic tumors.