Prognostic significance of tissue carcinoembryonic antigen in mild dysplasia of the uterine cervix.

Two murine monoclonal antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were used to detect CEA by the immunoperoxidase staining method in mild dysplasia of the uterine cervix in order to evaluate the prognostic significance of the expression of this antigen. The high affinity antibodies (Ha) detected CEA determinants in 53% of the 47 lesions studied while 40% of the epithelial changes were positive with the low affinity antibodies (La). Ha antibodies stained ten out of the 16 progressive lesions (62%), while La antibodies detected CEA determinants in 38% of these. Forty-eight per cent of the 23 regressive lesions were CEA positive with Ha and 39% with La antibodies respectively. The eight persistent lesions expressed CEA equally frequently (50%) with both antibodies. The results indicate that tissue CEA in patients with mild cervical dysplasia does not reflect malignant potential.