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The cell-mediated immune response, as demonstrated by cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity, has been reported to correlate well with the clinical course in a variety of neoplastic diseases. To facilitate evaluation of cellular immunity in patients with gynecologic cancer, an immunologic index has been devised which incorporates the cutaneous reaction to standard antigens, 1-nitro,2,4-difluorobenzene, and croton oil. Thirty-six patients with invasive cervical cancer, 19 patients with cervical dysplasia or carcinoma in situ, and 77 patients with dermatologic disorders were tested. Results reported here indicate a highly significant relationship between host cellular immunity and the clinical course of the patient with a gynecologic neoplasm.

Chromosome changes in human cancer cells appear to evolve by non-random losses and/or gains of particular homologues or groups. It is probable that some of the apparent losses or gains actually represent formation of new chromosome structures, which are then classified as markers or are misclassified as normal homologues. In many cancers these changes appear to continue at a high rate throughout the life of the cancer (so that in some cancers almost every cell will exhibit a different karyotype). In other cancers the rate of change may be slow or arrested so that all cells will have the same abnormal karyotype. One very common step in karyotype evolution is doubling of the entire chromosome complement (2n → 4n or more commonly, S → 2S where S is the stemline number). The 2S cells tend to replace the original stemline. Homologues which have larger amounts of concentrated blocks of heterochromatin (i.e. late replicating DNA) seem more apt to be lost.

A detailed account is given of the lymphographic appearances of the normal lumbar lymphatics based on an analysis of 126 normal bipedal lymphograms. The lymph vessels are shown to have a variable distribution, and a prominent vessel in the right chain is described as the “right lower lumbar bypass” vessel. The right and left lymph node chains are shown to be often asymmetrical in the level of opacification as well as in the numbers of nodes. The left chain usually contains more nodes and rises to a higher vertebral level than the right chain. A middle chain of nodes is present in 65% of lymphograms. The appearances of the “right lower lumbar gap” and the “left upper lumbar clump” are described and their normality is stressed. Normal lumbar nodes do not extend in a lateral direction beyond the tips of the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae. Fibrolipomatous infiltration of lumbar nodes is uncommon.

A teen-age patient, who became virilized in the course of pregnancy is described. The virilizing syndrome was due to a serous cystadenoma of the ovary. A marked difference in plasma testosterone concentration between specimens obtained preoperatively and postoperatively was demonstrated, indicating testosterone secretion by the neoplasm. Virilization regressed completely by the sixth postoperative month. The patient became pregnant one year after tumor resection and delivered a normal male infant. This report represents the first serous cystadenoma associated with virilization in pregnancy. The literature on the subject is reviewed.

Tumors were induced in adult and neonatal mice by intramuscular injections of either 104 or 106 cells from a cultured murine (Moloney) sarcoma line. Neoplasms that progressed were induced in neonates by either dose, and in adults only by the larger dose; adult mice receiving 104 cells usually developed tumors that regressed. Light microscopic examinations were performed at 2–3 day intervals throughout the course of tumor development and subsequent regression or progression. Initially all tumors became infiltrated with polymorphonuclear leukocytes—mainly neutrophils—and edema was extensive. By the end of the second week post inoculation, this acute inflammatory infiltrate had been replaced in adult mice by one consisting of mononuclear cells; neonatal mice never developed significant numbers of these inflammatory cells in their tumors. Of particular significance, since mononuclear inflammatory cells were associated intimately with tumors during the process of regression, was the disappearance of these cells 12–14 days post inoculation from tumors destined to progress in adult mice. Hyperplastic changes were found in the cortices and medullae of regional lymph nodes draining both progressing and regressing sarcomas. Secondary neoplasms developed commonly, and the distribution of these lesions was related to the ages of mice at the time of inoculation. Phenomenes Cellulaires Associes a la Regression et a la Progression des Sarcomes Murins (Moloney) Des tumeurs ont ete induites chez des souris adultes et nouveau-nees par injection intramusculaire de 104 ou 106 cellules d'une lignee de sarcome murin (Moloney) en culture. Les neoplasmes qui ont progresse avaient ete induits par l'une ou l'autre dose chez les nouveau-nes et seulement par la plus forte dose chez les adultes; les souris adultes qui ont recu 104 cellules ont generalement developpe des tumeurs qui ont regresse. des examens au microscope optique ont ete effectues a 2 ou 3 jours d'intervalle pendant le developpement tumoral et la regression ou la progression ulterieure. au debut, toutes les tumeurs ont ete infiltrees par des leucocytes polymorphonucleaires — surtout des neutrophiles — et l'œdeme etait etendu. A la fin de la deuxieme semaine apres l'inoculation, cette infiltration inflammatoire aigue a fait place, chez les souris adultes, a une infiltration de cellules mononucleaires; les tumeurs des souris nouveau-nees n'ont jamais contenu un grand nombre de ces cellules inflammatoires. Celles-ci ont disparu des tumeurs qui devaient progresser chez les souris adultes 12 a 14 jours apres l'inoculation, ce qui a un interět considerable puisque les cellules mononucleaires inflammatoires etaient intimement associees aux tumeurs pendant le processus de regression. des modifications hyperplasiques ont ete observees dans le cortex et la couche medullaire des ganglions lymphatiques regionaux drainant les sarcomes qui progressaient ou regressaient. des neoplasmes secondaires sont souvent apparus: la distribution de ces lesions etait liee a l'ǎge des souris au moment de l'inoculation.

This report describes a 17-yr-old female who developed acanthosis nigricans, hirsutism and amenorrhea concurrently at age 15. Plasma androstenedione (A) was extremely elevated ranging from 3500 to 5000 ng/100 ml. Plasma testosterone (T) and urinary 17-ketosteroids (17-KS) were also elevated at 357 ng/100 ml and 32–42 mg/24 hr respectively. Plasma A and T were not reduced by dexamethasone (Dex), but human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) increased plasma A to 23,500 ng/100 ml, plasma T to 3666 ng/100 ml and the 17-KS to 156 mg/24 hr. Ethinyl estradiol (EE) plus Dex reduced LH to a nondetectable level, A to 72 ng/100 ml and T to 10 ng/100 ml. ACTH did not increase A or T. The patient was treated for 7 months with 0.15 mg/day of EE and there was marked improvement of the acanthosis nigricans associated with correction of the hyperandrogenism. Because of menorrhagia, EE was discontinued and the high levels of A and T returned and the acanthosis nigricans worsened. Exploratory laparotomy was performed and...

Infusion excretory urograms of 160 patients with proved pelvo-abdominal masses were evaluated for the presence of contrast enhancement of the soft-tissue mass. A thin curvilinear zone of opacity at the margin of the tumor was seen in 78% of 72 cystic or partially cystic ovarian tumors. A mild degree of diffuse opacification was noted in 80% of 40 uterine leiomyomata. In 50 tubo-ovarian abscesses neither the rim sign nor diffuse opacification was seen. The rim sign of cystic ovarian neoplasms and homogeneous contrast enhancement of uterine leiomyomata are reliable diagnostic signs for defining the nature of a pelvo-abdominal mass in women.

Summary The frequency of thrombo-embolic complications as assessed by objective diagnostic techniques was investigated in 262 patients having major pelvic surgery. The lowest incidence of leg vein thrombosis (7 per cent) was found in patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy. After abdominal hysterectomy for benign pathology the incidence was 13 per cent and after Wertheim's hysterectomy for carcinoma of the cervix 25 per cent. After operation, the highest incidence of leg vein thrombosis (45 per cent) was in patients having surgery for gynaecological carcinoma other than that of the cervix. Fatal pulmonary embolism occurred in two patients (0.7 per cent), one with advanced ovarian carcinoma and the other after surgery for carcinoma of the corpus uteri; non-fatal pulmonary embolism was diagnosed in six patients (2.2 per cent).

Comparative morphological and cytogenetical investigations of eight human ovarian papillary adenocarcinomas were performed. By correlating various cytogenetical peculiarities of these tumors with thei

A 15-year-old phenotypic female with a Y/autosome translocation is reported. This patient had a 45,X,-16,+t(16 Yp-)/46,XYq-,-16,+t(16 Yp-) chromosome complement in a lymphocyte culture. Her left gonad showed dysgerminoma and a Sertoli-cell tumor. The right gonad showed gonadoblastoma in a streak and a poorly developed ovary. It was concluded that the pubertal events in this patient came from the estrogens secreted from a Sertoli-cell tumor rather than the function of poorly developed ovary.

Ovarian carcinoma continues to be a major cause of death in women in spite of the effective use of operation, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy in some patients. Improved survival will depend upon proper definition of prognostic factors, adequate and standardized staging, and upon prospective randomized clinical trials to define optimal existing therapy. With optimal existing therapy as a base line, newer therapeutic and combined modality approaches may be compared to optimal existing therapy in a systematic way. Results of such trials should improve survival of patients with ovarian carcinoma.

A case of primary carcinoid tumor of the ovary producing the carcinoid syndrome is reported. Microscopically, the tumor was pure, and not associated with other teratomatous elements. Ultrastructural examination revealed the characteristic polymorphic secretory granules situated in the basal portions of the tumor cells, similar in morphology to the granules commonly seen in tumors of midgut derivation. The literature on carcinoid tumors of the ovary is reviewed. Including our case, there are 47 documented cases of primary carcinoid tumors arising in the ovary, of which half have been associated with the carcinoid syndrome. Twelve of the reported cases are of the pure type and not associated with other teratomatous elements. Only three cases of malignant carcinoid tumors with metastasis have been reported.

Aortic node biopsies performed in 26 patients with Stage I ovarian cancer revealed 5 with metastases. All were associated with virulent tumors of the undifferentiated anaplastic or embryonal cell type. The 19 per cent incidence of lymphatic metastasis in this area stresses the need for evaluation of the aortic node chain in patients with early delimited ovarian cancer.

When the results of the smears or biopsies are compared to the incidence of Mycoplasmas (Ta- ble II), no significant differences are noted be- tween the study and control groups. In the severe d~plasia~ar~noma in situ group, a lack of posi- tive Mycopiasma cultures was apparent. Cultures from 28 patients were taken at two or three separate clinic visits over the 8 month testing period, and the results are shown in Table III, indicating consistency of positive or negative cul- ture recovery. Table IV illustrates the presence of Mycoplasmas in 39 of the dysplasia clinic pa- tients following either cryotherapy or conization treatment and also relates the cytology after treatment. The data obtained from cervical cultures for classical Mycoplasma and T-strain Mycoplasma from a dysplasia clinic population suggest no cor- relation between the positive cervical culture of these microorganisms and squamous cell dysplasia of the cervix. It is probable that Mycoplasma may not be implicated as one of the etiologic agents in cervical dysplasia. However, it is real- ized by the authors that the presence or absence of cultured Mycoplasma organisms does not rule out the possible previous oncogenic influence of these microorganisms.

The results of a retrospective study of the value of reductive surgery in the treatment of abdominal Burkitt's lymphoma are reported. Nine patients had almost complete removal of the tumour, 16 had little over half of the tumour removed, and 43 underwent biopsy only. All patients subsequently received chemotherapy. There was a highly significant difference in the proportion of patients achieving a sustained durable remission (P > 0·0001) and a significant difference in survival (P > 0·05) between the group having almost complete removal and the partial resection group. Partial resection gave no advantage over no surgery. We believe that whenever possible complete removal of the abdominal tumour should be attempted regardless of the presence of extra-abdominal tumour; but unless at least 90% of the tumour can be removed there is no advantage in partial resection in terms of response to subsequent chemotherapy. In particular the removal of one of two involved ovaries can no longer be recommended. The implications of these results are related to cancer treatment strategy.

A summary of a 21 year experience with peritoneal cytology obtained by cul-de-sac and peritoneal lavage is presented. The interpretation of this type of cytology requires well-trained, experienced cytologists. Vaginal cul-de-sac lavage in asymptomatic patients has not proved effective in the early detection of ovarian cancer. Peritoneal cytology obtained at operation, on the other hand, has promise of considerable value. It was positive in 78 per cent of patients with ovarian cancer. Significantly, malignant tumors with an intact capsule shed malignant cells into the peritoneal cavity in 36 per cent of Stage I a patients. The over-all percentage of positive cytology for Stage I a, b, and c tumors was 45 per cent. There were 39 cases of Stage I endometrial carcinoma, of which 12.8 per cent had positive cytology. In patients with Stage III cervical carcinoma, who were explored as a part of their primary treatment, 14.7 per cent of those with negative nodes and 55.5 per cent of those with positive nodes had postive peritoneal cytology. Evidence is presented to prove that shed cancer cells are viable and capable of continued growth and that some form of adjunctive therapy should be considered.

An increasing amount of evidence now provides a firm basis for the concept that there is significant relationship between immunological capacity and human neoplastic disease. The presence of human tumor-associated antigens and the ability of the immunologically competent host to respond to them is well documented. Recent studies have indicated a correlation between the cell-mediated component of the immune system and clinical prognosis. Furthermore, the delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction as demonstrated by reactivity to common skin antigens and contact allergens, has proved to be an excellent in vivo correlate of cell-mediated immunity. One hundred and twenty-five patients with various gynecologic cancers were studied using a battery of skin-test antigens and a contact allergen. It was found that those patients capable of displaying a normal delayed hypersensitivity reaction to standard skin test antigens and to DNFB (dinitrofluorobenzene) do indeed have a better prognosis, whereas, those who are anergic or who exhibit impaired reactivity experience a poor response to therapy, with an increased incidence of recurrent disease, metastasis, and eventual early death. This study suggests that, while derangement of the immunological defense system is not unequivocally necessary for a cancer to flourish, it does strongly imply a common framework for the progression of the neoplastic process. Thus, this study supports the concept that there is a highly significant relationship between host cellular immunity and clinical course in the patient with a gynecologic cancer.

An attempt has been made to develop tritiated derivatives of Synkavit (menadiol sodium diphosphate, MNDP) of high specific activity as a radioactive drug. This paper summarizes the preliminary biological and physical studies, with emphasis on approximate radiation dosimetry and the necessary preliminary testing, and then gives an account of the clinical investigations and the trials carried out so far, which correspond essentially to Phases I and II trials for a chemotherapeutic agent. In all, 214 patients with different sites and types of advanced and recurrent, inoperable, histologically verified malignant tumours including reticuloses have been treated with doses of at least 1 Ci of the various preparations. Among the 203 evaluable treated cases, some form of response was observed in 23 out of 151 (15·2%) receiving the drug by intravenous injections and 13 out of 52 (25%) after intra-arterial injections. For the sites and types of malignant diseases which showed responses after either intravenous or intra-arterial administration among the 55 patients surviving at least 3 months after the first injection, some form of response was observed in 32 but only 5 of these showed either a “complete” or a “partial” response. It is concluded that further investigation is desirable. It is suggested that clinical trials with randomization should be carried out for inoperable cases of carcinoma of the colon and of the pancreas.

Chromosome analysis of 26 samples from 14 near-diploid carcinomas of the ovary indicated that in 13 carcinomas a single aneuploid clone was present. In one, however, two regions of the primary had different karyotypes. The data suggest that ovarian carcinomas, including those in which both ovaries are involved, are commonly but not invariably monoclonal. The significance of a substantial proportion of diploid cells in one ovary from a bilateral case is discussed.

Using polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis, a sensitive detection method for glycogen phosphorylase has been developed. The method was highly sensitive even at the level where the usual assay method failed. With this method the presence of phosphorylase in the urines of various diseases was demonstrated. Of 315 cases tested phosphorylase was found in 56 cases, of which 51 cases were of urogenital diseases. In none of the cases tested was phosphorylase activity demonstrated in serum. In contrast to tissue phosphorylases, which showed a marked decrease of activity in the absence of adenosine 5'-monophosphate, urinary phosphorylase was not affected by this. From the retardation of mobility as a function of glycogen concentration, the dissociation constant of urinary phosphorylase for glycogen was calculated. It was estimated to be 2.1–2.7 mM for urinary phosphorylase of uterine carcinoma and 1.4 mM for that of vesical carcinoma.

One hundred and sixteen human tumours were transplanted to thymectomized, irradiated, antilymphocyte serum-treated mice. In 12 cases the recipient mice died rapidly, presumably from infection. With the remaining 104 tumours, three-quarters grew to a varying extent, retaining the characteristic histological features of the primary tumours. Implant nodules varied widely in composition, from solid tumour and stroma to dense fibrous tissue without recognizable tumour cells. There was no relation between degree of malignancy and ability to grow, and also some benign tumours grew. In 44 cases, mice were treated with the drug or drugs most likely to be used in the patients and the effects on the implants were assessed histologically. Two tumours were largely destroyed and one showed marked metaphase arrest. Three other tumours showed lesser changes that were attributable to the drug but were of equivocal significance. There appeared to be differences in drug sensitivity between structurally different clones of the same tumour, and some tumours treated with two alkylating agents were damaged by one and not the other, suggesting that this model may have substantial discriminatory power. Assays such as this should not be used to guide treatment of the patient without prior validation. The practical and ethical difficulties of validation by clinical trial may be insurmountable, and an alternative approach to validation is proposed which does not raise these difficulties. ImagesFig. 2Fig. 3Fig. 1Fig. 4Fig. 5Fig. 6Fig. 7Fig. 8Fig. 9Fig. 10Fig. 11Fig. 12Fig. 13Fig. 14

Acceptance of the functional role of this pathway for dissemination of ovarian tumor by way of the diaphragmatic lymph-collecting system makes it advisable to ensure that appropriate measures are taken for staging ovarian carcinoma. The clinician is obligated to inspect the undersurface of the diaphragm for metastases at the time of the primary exploratory laparotomy, even if the disease initially seems localized to one or both ovaries. Given the anatomy and physiology of the peritoneal lymphatic system, early metastases to the diaphragmatic surface are fully predictable. Routine inspection of this region will undoubtedly reveal that a significant number of patients whose disease would be classified otherwise as Stage I or II are actually Stage III. It is not inconceivable that many reported therapeutic failures in cases with ostensibly early lesions could be explained by the presence of unappreciated and untreated diphragmatic metastases.

Summary Within the last two years we have seen four examples of a highly malignant neoplasm in young patients for which the name yolk sac tumour is recommended. We now describe the pathology and discuss the histogenesis of these tumours. The collection of information about them is impeded by the variety of names applied to them.

The effect of 10% glucose solution and narcosis upon the blood borne cancer cells was studied on Wistar rats, with Walker 256 carcinosarcoma inoculated intravenously. Our experiment reveals obvious differences between the control group and the groups treated with glucose concerning incidence, localization and tumour extension, differences which suggest that there is a risk in using glucose in the intra- and post-surgical resuscitation of patients with cancer. ImagesFig. 2Fig. 3

An autopsy case of a malignant gliomatosis peritonei originating from cystic ovarian teratoma of a 22-year-old Japanese female is reported. The primary ovarian tumor, resected 8 months prior to death, consisted of a grade 3 teratoma with a small occult focus compatible with endodermal sinus tumor. The metastatic lesions which were found in the mediastinal and cervical lymph nodes as well as in the peritoneal cavity, consisted solely of atypical neuroglial elements. A review of the literatures describing the cases of benign glial implants and of immature neural elements is also presented.

Investigating the geographic variation in the occurrence of cancer of the uterine corpus presents certain problems. Mortality rates are particularly unsuitable for this because of the large proportion of deaths from uterine cancer not specified as to whether they originated in the cervix or the corpus. Incidence rates, on the other hand, may be somewhat inflated if cytology screening is being extensively used in a population of women, but the designation between corpus and cervix is nearly complete. Incidence rates compiled by the International Union Against Cancer indicate considerable variation in the frequency of uterine corpus cancer among female populations throughout the world. There is a correlation between the frequency of this cancer and that of the ovary and breast, but not with cervical cancer. In the United States southern white women tend to have cancers of the uterine corpus, breast, and ovary less frequently and of the cervix more frequently than women of the north and west. American-born Japanese women are developing breast cancer nearly as frequently in California as white women. This may be true for ovarian cancer as well. Uterine corpus cancer may be increasing but the population is still too young to be sure, since this cancer reaches its highest rates at older ages. All these cancers are less frequent in Japan. The American-born Japanese will be followed with considerable epidemiological interest.

A hypothesis is presented explaining the mechanism of vaginal metastases in endometrial carcinoma. Lower vaginal lesions are truly metastatic, probably by lymphatic channels, whereas vault lesions are probably due to implantation of viable cells at hysterectomy. This leads to the conclusion that vaginal radium is not necessary when radium is given preoperatively in the uterine cavity, although the latter is beneficial in preventing vaginal lesions. Only one out of 104 patients given this combined therapy developed a vaginal recurrence. Two out of four patients treated for vault recurrences survived five years. Of the 10 patients seen with vaginal lesions not in the vault only one seems to be cured, while most died within a short period with widespread carcinomatosis. Our experience confirms that the beneficial effect of preoperative radium treatment is due to devitalization of tumor cells and that vaginal radium is not necessary.

A quantitative study of cell‐mediated immunological reactivity was made in patients with female genital tract cancer. Prinary reactivity was measured by contact sensitization to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and secondary reactivity by delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity to skin test antigens (STA). In general, there was an increased incidence of anergic and impaired reactivity in patients with cancer of the cervix, corpus uteri or ovary, compared with age‐matched controls; however, differences between patient‐groups, regarding organ or origin or histological type, were small and insignificant. There was a progressive increase in incidence of anergic and impaired reactivity with worsening of clinical staging of the tumour. Significant differences in reactivity were noted between patients who had remained free of disease and those who had progressive disease after 12 months of follow‐up. It is considered that impairment of cell‐mediated immunity is an unfavourable factor in host‐tumour interactions, and the possibility of augmenting immunological reactivity should be considered in management. Copyright

The rabbit Graafian follicles are encircled by a capillary network between the theca interna and the avascular membrana granulosa. After injection of an ovulatory dose of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) the theca interna cells showed an increase in the amount of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, lipid droplets and mitochondria with tubular cristae. In addition, considerably more junctions, similar to the abutment nexuses of granulosa cells were found; annular nexuses also appeared. At 4 hours after injection of HCG a prominent oedema was evident in the theca interna layer, particularly in the apical region.

An account is given of the various abnormal lymphographic appearances of the lumbar region when involved by metastatic carcinoma. It is suggested that lymphography should be performed more often in the management of patients with suspected malignant deposits in the lumbar region.

The lifetime administration of 0.0125% ethylhydrazine hydrochloride in drinking water to randomly bred Swiss mice, beginning at 7 weeks of age, induced tumors of the lungs and blood vessels. Eighty-eight percent of the treated females and 62% of the treated males developed lung tumors, whereas among the controls, the incidence was 21% in the females and 23% in the males. In addition, the incidence of blood-vessel tumors rose from 5 to 60% in the females and from 6 to 16% in the males, as compared with the controls. The gross and light microscopic investigation of the tumors showed adenomas and adenocarcinomas of the lungs and angiomas and angiosarcomas of the blood vessels of characteristic appearance. This investigation proves for the first time the tumorigenicity of this chemical. The environmental significance of hydrazine derivatives is discussed in the light of the obtained results.

A catalogue of surgically correctable endocrine abnormalities shows that there are many unique and significant features in pediatric endocrinology, and also that certain pathologic conditions exist only in infants and children.

Summary Six malignant ovarian tumors (8%) were found during 77 operations for cysts and tumors of the ovary in children. Two of the six patients already had widespread abdominal metastases. The other four with localized disease were treated by unilateral salpingoovariectomy and are alive and free of disease. Ovarian cancer in children is rare, and apparently is found either very early or very late in its course. This experience suggests that the initial operation should be restricted to unilateral salpingoovariectomy. Abdominal hysterectomy and contralateral salpingoovariectomy can be completed soon thereafter if the surgical specimen shows a malignant tumor which has spread beyond the confines of the ovary.

SummaryFifteen patients with advanced cancer have been exposed to a medical whole-body 60Co γ-irradiation with doses of 10, 19 and 29 rads before local palliative radiation therapy. Chromosome analyses were carried out in lymphocytes of blood samples obtained before, immediately after, and 24 hours after the exposure of the patients as well as after in vitro irradiation of the patients' blood. A comparison of the frequencies of dicentrics + ring chromosomes revealed no significant differences neither between the two sampling times after exposure of the patients, nor between either in vivo or in vitro samples. The dose-response relations were linear. Due to the low aberration yields occurring in low dose-ranges, the applicability of chromosome damage to a biological dosimetry is a statistical problem. A meaningful dose estimation for a single person based on the 200 cells usually analysed is impossible.

The presence of tumor-specific antigens in a limited number of specimens of serous cystadenocarcinoma, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, and solid epidermoid carcinoma of the human ovary has been demonstrated. Immunoelectrophoresis and immunodiffusion were employed to reveal the presence of the antigens and to relate the antigens of one tumor type to those of another. A maximum of four antigens per tumor sample was found. None of these antigens was found in normal ovary or normal human serum.

Anthracyclic antibiotics, of which Adriamycin is representative, have the ability to bind to cellular DNA and thereby interfere with the X ray repair process. When radiation survival curves of tissue cultures were studied, increased cell-killing was noted in those cultures with Adriamycin over those without the drug. The mechanism by which this occurs may be related to a reduced rate of DNA strand break rejoining, as demonstrated by use of alkaline sucrose gradient techniques. A preliminary clinical Phase I study, in which patients with advanced gynecologic malignancy were treated by simultaneous Adriamycin and X radiation, suggests that combined therapy is well-tolerated, and that such combinations may prove useful in selected patients.