Lung cancer patients' autoimmune responses to Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antigen: diagnostic utility

The usefulness of T antigen in the diagnosis of lung cancer (LCA), including early, was assessed by determining the in vitro delayed type hypersensitivity response to T(DTHR-T), and by measuring with a solid phase immunofluorescent assay the serum anti-T IgM response. Sensitivity of DTHR-T was 89% for 73 patients with LCA including 8/9 with Stage T1N0M0 disease, overall specificity was 95% for 212 healthy persons and those with non-CA disease. The humoral immune assay detected 31/35 (89%) LCA patients including 4/5 Stage T1N0M0 patients. Overall specificity was greater than 90% among 116 persons without CA.