Virus-augmented delayed hypersensitivity skin tests in gynecological malignancies

Cultured human tumor cells of various histologic origins were infected with PR8/A/34 influenza virus. Nonviable crude membrane extracts were derived from the infected and uninfected cells. The extracts were coded and tested for their ability to produce delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions (DHSR) in allogeneic patients with squamous uterine cervical carcinoma, epithelial ovarian carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Augmented antigen sensitivity to the virus-modified extracts compared with virus alone or to the unmodified extracts was observed in all patient groups. There was insufficient specificity to delineate a response by individual tumor type and related tumor extract, but some of the observed responses suggested tumor or organ site associations. Cervical carcinoma patients reacted more frequently to the virus-modified cervix extract, which also produced a high frequency of response in patients with ovarian carcinoma and melanoma. Ovarian carcinoma patients demonstrated increased sensitivity to both virus-modified ovarian carcinoma extracts, although 14 of 21 patients also showed responsiveness to one of the unmodified ovarian extracts. Malignant melanoma patients showed increased sensitivity to all virus-modified extracts except one of two derived from the ovarian carcinoma, and demonstrated a significantly augmented response to the virus-modified melanoma extract when the response to this extract was compared with that in ovarian carcinoma patients. The augmented reactions appear to be due to an association of the PR8 virus and as yet undetermined cellular components rather than to the virus alone. The possible involvement of tumor-associated determinants and the clinical significance of this phenomenon require further investigation.