[Occurrence of fetorenal antigens in renal adenocarcinoma]

An antigen sharing common antigenic determinants with Australia-Antigen was found in the renal excretory ducts of human fetuses. Moreover, in the sera from patients suffering from kidney tumours, antibodies against Australia-Antigens should be found. This has not been proven by us, nor has the presence of this kind of fetorenal antigen in the tissues of 25 renal carcinomas been found using a very sensitive radioimmunoassay. Therefore, the search for an Australia-Antigen-like antibody or antigen cannot be used as a tumour test nor has the theory of the carcinogenesis yet been questioned.