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A Tumor-associated Antigen in Gastric Cancer Secretions¹

Department of Gastroenterology, Carney Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 [E. D.]; Ira T. Nathanson Research Laboratories, Pondville Hospital, Walpole, Massachusetts 02081 [C. A. A.]; Tokyo University Medical School, Third Medical Service, Tokyo, Japan [H. M.]; and Food Chemistry Division, United States Army Laboratories, Natick, Massachusetts 01760 [J. E. W.]

An antigen, distinct from Gold's carcinoembryonic antigen, was identified in 91% of gastric cancer secretions (GCJ). Reacted with rabbit immune serum against GCJ, this antigen appears as one precipitin line among others on double diffusion in agar gel. When the immune serum has been absorbed with noncancer secretions, it gives a distinctly prevalent line with GCJ both on immunodiffusion and by immunoelectrophoresis. After absorption with normal human plasma, the gastric cancer antigen appears on immunoelectrophoresis as a sharp single line in the ß region with a mobility greater than Gold's carcinoembryonic antigen. Gastric cancer antigen has an immunologically reactive carbohydrate moiety and is different from blood group substances. It was not detected in the gastric tumor itself. The corresponding precipitin line disappeared when the immune serum was absorbed with GCJ, thus establishing its pathognomonic significance. Detection of gastric cancer antigen may be crucial for early diagnosis, particularly in younger, still salvageable patients, when there is free HCl on gastric analysis.

¹ Supported by Grant 1408-C from the American Cancer Society, Massachusetts Division.

Received 6/10/71. Accepted 10/ 6/72.