Abstract
The purpose of this work was to make use of the important onco-foetal antigens as diagnostic markers in the eraly diagnosis of ear, nose and throat malignancies. The onco-foetal antigens utilised were carcino-embryonic antigen (C.E.A), alpha-one-foetoprotein, embryonic liver antigen and Regan isoenzyme. Extracts of twenty nine malignant and six non-malignant tumours and sera of 130 cancerous patients, all of the E.N.T. region, were examined for the presence of those oncofoetal antigens. Carcinoma of the larynx showed 57% positivity for C.E.A. None of the antigens could be labelled as specific for ENT malignancies. However, in a given clinical set up, the presence of one or more of these antigens strongly add to the suspicion of malignancy. Recurrence can be detected early with the re-appearance of these antigens if they had disappeared with effective therapy. The host’s antibody reaction was detected by bis-diazotised-benzidine haemagglutination test. It could be detected earlier to the appearance of the antigens and disappeared with metastasis.
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Paper read at 27th Annual Conference of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India, held at Manipal in January 1975.
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Deyasi, S.K., Aikat, B.K. & Mehra, Y.N. Onco-Foetal antigens in ear, nose and throat malignancies. Indian J Otolaryngol 29, 65–68 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02991257
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02991257