HERPESVIRUS TYPE 2 INDUCED, TUMOR-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN IN CERVICAL CARCINOMA1

Abstract

A micro-quantitative complement fixation test was used to detect antibody to a tumor-specific herpesvirus type 2 induced antigen (AG-4) in sera from patients with cervical neoplasia. The prevalence of antibody to AG-4 in women with cervical carcinoma displayed the progression expected of the neoplastic lesion. Antibody was detected in 35% of 20 cases of atypia, 73% of 22 cases of carcinoma in situ and 89% of 27 cases of untreated invasive carcinoma. Antibody to AG-4 was virtually absent in women without cancer and matched to the carcinoma patients for age, race and socioeconomic class. The frequency of antibody in the carcinoma patients appeared to be a function of the extent of the tumor. Antibody to AG-4 was absent in 23 cases with successful therapy prior to blood collection, and present in 3 cases with recurrent neoplastic disease following radiation or hysterectomy; it was not affected by age or socioeconomic class. Finally, AG-4 reactivity was present in 5 out of 6 biopsies of squamous cervical carcinoma but not in a biopsy from a normal woman and one from a case of adenocarcinoma. The data suggest that AG-4 may be of diagnostic and prognostic significance, thus reflecting tumor growth and arguing in favor of an active role for HSV-2 in cervical neoplasia. However, further studies are required to determine beyond doubt that the association of HSV-2 with cervical carcinoma is a causal one.