Changeable lymphocytotoxic antibody activity in patients with cervical carcinoma

Abstract

In patients with cervical carcinoma examined over an extended period of time we observed lymphocytotoxic antibody activity more often in patients with terminal invasive carcinoma than in patients with preinvasive carcinoma. Antibody activity was very variable and it is postulated that this man relfect in vivo consumption of such antibodies as a consequence of qualitative or quantitative variations in cancerous tissue mass. In almost all instances we were unable to establish the specificity of the lymphocytotoxic antibodies with respect to known histocompatibility antigens. This suggests that their activity may be directed against a nucleus of HL-A determinants present in all human cell lines.