Abstract
Summary
A total of 123 extracts of tissues from 111 cases of human cancer of diverse type and 22 extracts of tissues from 20 cases of non-neoplastic disease of man were examined for presence of antigens fixing complement with sera from hamsters bearing adenovirus 7, 12 and 18, SV40, or Rous sarcoma tumor. Thirteen tissues from cases of cancer and 4 tissues from non-neoplastic disease gave positive CF reactions with adenovirus type 12 and sometimes with type 7 tumor antisera but not with the other tumor antisera. Interpretation was complicated in some instances by apparent isoantigen-anti-body reactions between human and hamster tissues. No evidence for etiologic role of adenovirus 18, SV40 or Rous sarcoma virus in human tumor was obtained and if a virus related to 7 and 12 plays a role in human neoplasia, it would appear to be relatively infrequent. Without substantial improvement in specificity and sensitivity, tests for T antigen in human neoplastic tissues would not appear worthy of further emphasis.
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