A sequential study of humoral factors in ovarian neoplasms

A sequential study of serum immunoglobulins, circulating immune-complexes (CIC) and blocking effect of patients' sera on normal T lymphocytes was conducted in 15 patients with benign ovarian tumour, 32 with carcinoma ovary and 20 agematched healthy women. In patients with benign ovarian tumour there was a significant increase in IgG and IgM, while IgA was not altered. In carcinoma, there was no significant change in IgG and IgM but IgA was found to be increased significantly as compared to benign ovarian tumour. Post-operatively, IgM showed a significant increase on the 10th day, probably due to the effect of surgery. There was no significant difference in CIC levels and percentage T cell depression between patients with benign ovarian tumours and healthy controls. In carcinoma ovary both these parameters were increased significantly as compared to benign ovarian tumours. After tumour ablation, they were decreased significantly, until there was recurrence. The alterations in these parameters was not related to any specific histologic type of neoplasm. The study of serum immunoglobulins indicates tumour load, while the estimation of CIC and blocking effect of cancer sera on normal lymphocytes is of a definite diagnostic and prognostic significance.