Exfoliative immunocytology of cervical carcinoma.

Fluorescent antibody tracing was applied to exfoliative specimens from 456 women, who were also screened by cytology and partly by histopathology for carcinoma of the cervix. Fixed cervicovaginal smears were treated with autologous serum; the smears then were added labeled antihuman globulin antibody and observed for reactivity. A pattern of cytoplasmic fluorescence was observed in cases that were cytologically diagnosed as severe dysplasia, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or in cases with positive reactions for malignant cells. Negative Papanicolaou smears appeared nonreactive. A probe into the immunoglobulin class of the antibody that reacted with dyskaryotic and abnormal cells revealed that IgA and IgG but not IgM were involved. The results indicate that a humoral immune response occurs and may be used diagnostically for a demonstration of cellular abnormality in premalignant and invasive cases of cervical carcinoma.