A solid phase radioimmunoassay was devised for measuring the value of the
carcinoma associated
carbohydrate antigen CA 50 in serum based on the use of a specific
monoclonal antibody (C 50). Samples of serum from 259 patients with
carcinoma, 114 patients with other
malignancies or inflammatory diseases, and 150 healthy controls were examined. Serum values of CA 50 exceeding the mean plus three standard deviations for control samples from blood donors were found in a high proportion of patients with colorectal
adenocarcinomas (50% of those with early, localised tumours and 75% of advanced cases), other gastrointestinal
carcinomas (69%),
uterine cancer (75% of those with corporeal and 88% of those with
cervical cancer),
prostatic cancer (90%),
lung cancer (52%), and breast, ovarian, kidney, and urinary bladder
carcinoma (26-67%). The CA 50 values in samples from patients with inflammatory diseases, including
ulcerative colitis, with rare exceptions (0-7%) were within the normal range, as were those in patients with various
sarcomas and
malignant melanoma. Measuring serum values of CA 50, which is evidently a generalised
carcinoma associated antigen, may be useful in clinical research studies of the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of patients with different types of
carcinoma.