Circulating immune complexes in carcinoma of the pancreas.

Circulating immune complexes were detected by the Clq binding assay in 45% of patients with pancreatic carcinoma. 75% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and 60% of patients with sclerosing cholangitis. The immune complexes present in most sera from these three groups were not reactive in the Raji cell radioimmune assay or monoclonal rheumatoid factor radioimmunoassay for soluble immune complexes. Thus, it was not possible to differentiate among these diseases on the basis of circulating immune complexes.