[Flow cytofluorometric analysis for screening cervical squamous cell carcinoma using specific antibody to a tumor...

The clinical value of flow cytometric analysis using a specific antibody to a tumor antigen TA-4 was studied in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Exfoliative cells of the uterine cervix were stained by the indirect immunofluorescent technique using an anti-serum to TA-4 (rabbit) and FITC-labeled anti-rabbit gammaglobulin, and applied to FCM. Patterns of TA-4 histogram were divided into 3 groups. Type I; A single peak at the area of low fluorescence intensity. Type II; A single peak at the area of higher fluorescence intensity (50-80th channel). Type III; Two peaks, one with the low fluorescence intensity and the other with the higher fluorescence intensity (50-80th channel). Of 35 patients with non-malignant subjects 30 patients (85.7%) showed the Type I pattern and 20(87.0%) of 23 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma showed Type II or Type III pattern. It was concluded that this method would be useful for automated cytology in screening for cervical squamous cell carcinoma.