Pathology
ISSN: 0031-3025 (Print) 1465-3931 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ipat20
Autoantibodies in Cancer Patients D. S. Nelson To cite this article: D. S. Nelson (1977) Autoantibodies in Cancer Patients, Pathology, 9:2, 155-160 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00313027709085253
Published online: 06 Jul 2009.
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Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=ipat20 Download by: [New York University]
Date: 23 March 2016, At: 02:31
Pathology (1977), 9, pp. 155 60
AUTOANTIBODIES IN CANCER PATIENTS D. S. NELSON Kollirig Institute 01'Medical Research, Tlie Royal Nortli Shore
Hospital of
Downloaded by [New York University] at 02:31 23 March 2016
Sydnej,, Neu' South Wales
Summary The prevalence of antinuclear antibodies was increased in patients with adenocarcinoma of the corpus uteri, chronic lesions of the cervix uteri, malignant melanoma, non-malignant pigmented skin lesions and basal cell Carcinoma. The prevalence of smooth muscle antibodies was increased in patients with squamous carcinoma of the cervix and malignant melanoma. The prevalence of antibodies to gastric parietal cells and thyroid epithelial cells was not increased in any group of patients.
Whitehouse & Holborow (1971) reported a greatly increased prevalence of smooth muscle and antinuclear antibodies in patients with malignant disease. Similar observations have since been made on patients with a variety of lymphoid and non-lymphoid malignant diseases (Burnham, 1972; Hodson & Turner-Warwick, 1975; Kumar & Taylor, 1975; Lee, 1973; Riesen el al., 1975; Whitehouse, 1973; Whitehouse& Holborow, 1971; Zeromski et a/., 1972). We had noted an apparently increased prevalence of antinuclear and/or smooth muScle,antibodies in patients with gynaecological malignant disease (Nelson, 1974a,b) and malignant melanoma (Nelson, 1974b). Not all studies have revealed a true increase in autoantibody prevalence in cancer patients (Tannenberg et a/., 1973). With lung cancer, for example, the prevalence has been found to be raised only in patients with undifferentiated carcinoma (Hodson & Turner-Warwick, 1975). We therefore present here observations on the prevalence of autoantibodies, both non-organ specific and organ specific, in patients with gynaecological malignant and non-malignant disease, malignant melanoma and other pigmented or malignant skin lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sera were obtained from female patients in the King George V Hospital, Sydney, with histopathologically proven squamous carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the cervix uteri or corpus uteri; the sera were obtained before surgery. Sera were also obtained from women with suspected carcinoma of the cervix, later shown to be non-malignant disease (chronic cervicitis, dysplasia). Control sera were obtained from women undergoing surgery for nonmalignant, non-inflammatory gynecological disorders and from normal female laboratory staff. Patients with malignant melanoma, histopathologically proven, or with pigmented lesions found to be non-malignant were attending the Melanoma Clinic at Sydney Hospital.
Downloaded by [New York University] at 02:31 23 March 2016
156
Pathology (1977). 9, April
NELSON
Additional control sera were obtained from spouses o r relatives of the patients and from normal male laboratory staff. Sera were also obtained from patients attending the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with basal cell carcinoma of the skin. Autoantibodies were detected by means of immunofluorescence using the methods of Whittingham & Mackay ( 1969) as described elsewhere (Nelson, 1974a). Cold ethanol-fixed smears of human peripheral blood were used for the detection of antibodies to nuclei of lymphocytes and/or granulocytes. Unfixed cryostat scctions of human uterine wall were used for the detection of smooth muscle antibodies and mouse stomach and human thyroid (unfixed) for the detection of antibodies to gastric parietal cells and thyroid epithelial cells respectively. The conjugates used were fluorescein-conjugated IgG of rabbit anti-human IgG (Whittingham & Mackay, 1969; Nelson. 1974a) and fluorescein-conjugated rabbit antihuman IgM (Behringwerke). Weakly positive reactions are not included as positive in the tables below. Chi-squared analysis was used to determine the statistical significance of differences in prevalence of autoantibodies. P values less than o r equal to 0.05 were regarded as indicating significant differences. RESULTS The prevalence ofantinuclear antibodies is shown in Table 1. There was a signiticant increase in prevalence among: patients with chronic, non-malignant cervical lesions (W',!), involving all types of antinuclear antibody (IgG. IgM, anti-lymphocyte and anti-granulocyte nuclei); patients with adenocarcinoma of the corpus uteri (29",,), especially in IgG anti-lymphocyte nuclei; patients with malignant melanoma (20",,), mainly in IgM antibodies; patients with non-malignant pigmented skin lesions (36",,), mainly in IgG anti-granulocyte nuclei; and patients with basal cell carcinoma (19",,).mainly in IgM antibodies. The apparent increase
TABLI:I Prevalence of antinuclear antibodies in cancer patients and control subjects Number positibe number tested ( ' I , , ) kG IgM -__ Lyinphocq tes Grmuloc) t e b Lymphocytes Grdnuloc) t e h -__ 1 34 ( 3 " , , ) I 34 ( ? I , , , ) 1 14 (3"J 1 34 ( 3 " , , ) 2 2 3 (Y",,) 2 23 (T',') 2 23 (9",,) 2 23 (Y",,) ~~
Group Control A * Control B* Squanious carcinoma of cervix Chronic cervical lesions Adenocarcinoma of cervix Adenocarcinoma of corpus uteri Malignant nielanoma Non-malignant. pigmented lesions Basal cell carcinnnia
Overdl 2 34 (V',,) 2 23 (9"J I 6 49 (IX",,)
8 89 (Y",,)
8 89 (Y',))
9 8') (12",,)
I ? 89 ( I 1"
ISSN: 0031-3025 (Print) 1465-3931 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ipat20
Autoantibodies in Cancer Patients D. S. Nelson To cite this article: D. S. Nelson (1977) Autoantibodies in Cancer Patients, Pathology, 9:2, 155-160 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00313027709085253
Published online: 06 Jul 2009.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 11
View related articles
Citing articles: 3 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=ipat20 Download by: [New York University]
Date: 23 March 2016, At: 02:31
Pathology (1977), 9, pp. 155 60
AUTOANTIBODIES IN CANCER PATIENTS D. S. NELSON Kollirig Institute 01'Medical Research, Tlie Royal Nortli Shore
Hospital of
Downloaded by [New York University] at 02:31 23 March 2016
Sydnej,, Neu' South Wales
Summary The prevalence of antinuclear antibodies was increased in patients with adenocarcinoma of the corpus uteri, chronic lesions of the cervix uteri, malignant melanoma, non-malignant pigmented skin lesions and basal cell Carcinoma. The prevalence of smooth muscle antibodies was increased in patients with squamous carcinoma of the cervix and malignant melanoma. The prevalence of antibodies to gastric parietal cells and thyroid epithelial cells was not increased in any group of patients.
Whitehouse & Holborow (1971) reported a greatly increased prevalence of smooth muscle and antinuclear antibodies in patients with malignant disease. Similar observations have since been made on patients with a variety of lymphoid and non-lymphoid malignant diseases (Burnham, 1972; Hodson & Turner-Warwick, 1975; Kumar & Taylor, 1975; Lee, 1973; Riesen el al., 1975; Whitehouse, 1973; Whitehouse& Holborow, 1971; Zeromski et a/., 1972). We had noted an apparently increased prevalence of antinuclear and/or smooth muScle,antibodies in patients with gynaecological malignant disease (Nelson, 1974a,b) and malignant melanoma (Nelson, 1974b). Not all studies have revealed a true increase in autoantibody prevalence in cancer patients (Tannenberg et a/., 1973). With lung cancer, for example, the prevalence has been found to be raised only in patients with undifferentiated carcinoma (Hodson & Turner-Warwick, 1975). We therefore present here observations on the prevalence of autoantibodies, both non-organ specific and organ specific, in patients with gynaecological malignant and non-malignant disease, malignant melanoma and other pigmented or malignant skin lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sera were obtained from female patients in the King George V Hospital, Sydney, with histopathologically proven squamous carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the cervix uteri or corpus uteri; the sera were obtained before surgery. Sera were also obtained from women with suspected carcinoma of the cervix, later shown to be non-malignant disease (chronic cervicitis, dysplasia). Control sera were obtained from women undergoing surgery for nonmalignant, non-inflammatory gynecological disorders and from normal female laboratory staff. Patients with malignant melanoma, histopathologically proven, or with pigmented lesions found to be non-malignant were attending the Melanoma Clinic at Sydney Hospital.
Downloaded by [New York University] at 02:31 23 March 2016
156
Pathology (1977). 9, April
NELSON
Additional control sera were obtained from spouses o r relatives of the patients and from normal male laboratory staff. Sera were also obtained from patients attending the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with basal cell carcinoma of the skin. Autoantibodies were detected by means of immunofluorescence using the methods of Whittingham & Mackay ( 1969) as described elsewhere (Nelson, 1974a). Cold ethanol-fixed smears of human peripheral blood were used for the detection of antibodies to nuclei of lymphocytes and/or granulocytes. Unfixed cryostat scctions of human uterine wall were used for the detection of smooth muscle antibodies and mouse stomach and human thyroid (unfixed) for the detection of antibodies to gastric parietal cells and thyroid epithelial cells respectively. The conjugates used were fluorescein-conjugated IgG of rabbit anti-human IgG (Whittingham & Mackay, 1969; Nelson. 1974a) and fluorescein-conjugated rabbit antihuman IgM (Behringwerke). Weakly positive reactions are not included as positive in the tables below. Chi-squared analysis was used to determine the statistical significance of differences in prevalence of autoantibodies. P values less than o r equal to 0.05 were regarded as indicating significant differences. RESULTS The prevalence ofantinuclear antibodies is shown in Table 1. There was a signiticant increase in prevalence among: patients with chronic, non-malignant cervical lesions (W',!), involving all types of antinuclear antibody (IgG. IgM, anti-lymphocyte and anti-granulocyte nuclei); patients with adenocarcinoma of the corpus uteri (29",,), especially in IgG anti-lymphocyte nuclei; patients with malignant melanoma (20",,), mainly in IgM antibodies; patients with non-malignant pigmented skin lesions (36",,), mainly in IgG anti-granulocyte nuclei; and patients with basal cell carcinoma (19",,).mainly in IgM antibodies. The apparent increase
TABLI:I Prevalence of antinuclear antibodies in cancer patients and control subjects Number positibe number tested ( ' I , , ) kG IgM -__ Lyinphocq tes Grmuloc) t e b Lymphocytes Grdnuloc) t e h -__ 1 34 ( 3 " , , ) I 34 ( ? I , , , ) 1 14 (3"J 1 34 ( 3 " , , ) 2 2 3 (Y",,) 2 23 (T',') 2 23 (9",,) 2 23 (Y",,) ~~
Group Control A * Control B* Squanious carcinoma of cervix Chronic cervical lesions Adenocarcinoma of cervix Adenocarcinoma of corpus uteri Malignant nielanoma Non-malignant. pigmented lesions Basal cell carcinnnia
Overdl 2 34 (V',,) 2 23 (9"J I 6 49 (IX",,)
8 89 (Y",,)
8 89 (Y',))
9 8') (12",,)
I ? 89 ( I 1"
