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Fetal proteins occurring in testicular teratomas
Author(s) -
Wahren Britta,
Edsmyr Folke
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910140209
Subject(s) - carcinoembryonic antigen , seminoma , radioimmunoassay , antigen , fetus , oncofetal antigen , teratoma , pathology , alpha fetoprotein , teratocarcinoma , fetal protein , medicine , biology , cancer , antibody , immunology , monoclonal antibody , tumor associated antigen , pregnancy , cellular differentiation , chemotherapy , biochemistry , hepatocellular carcinoma , gene , genetics
Alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were determined simultaneously in serial samples from patients with teratocarcinomas, testicular tumors of so‐called embryonic origin. These tumor‐associated fetal substances were seen together in four cases, AFP alone was seen in five, CEA in three and neither antigen in two. The embryonic cancer component was present in all primary tumors in which either fetal antigen was detected. AFP was clearly related to progression or regression of tumor while CEA occurred transiently. Four primary teratocarcinomas and four seminomas were established in short‐term tissue culture. Only one of these particular patients had raised serum AFP levels. When, however, the original tumor‐cell suspensions were assayed by radioimmunoassay or indirect immunofluorescence, AFP was detected in three out of the four teratocarcinomas. CEA was seen in a low percentage of cells from two primary teratocarcinomas. No seminoma cells contained either of the antigens. This means that perhaps most teratocarcinomas do indeed produce AFP and/or CEA, although serum assays may be negative. No relationship was found between the occurrence of the two fetal substances.