ADAPTATION OF THE CELLSCAN TECHNIQUE FOR THE SCM TEST IN BREAST-CANCER

The value of the SCM (Structuredness of Cytoplasmic Matrix) cancer tes t, a procedure based on the detection of differences in lymphocyte act ivation in the presence and absence of cancer, has remained controvers ial, with inconsistent results having been reported among investigator s. The Cellscan, a high-precision static cytometer system, has been de signed to perform the SCM test; the apparatus facilitates the polarisa tion measurements and can examine cells which have been separated by s impler procedures than were originally described. In this study, using methods and diagnostic criteria adapted for the Cellscan system in a hospital environment, the SCM test correctly classified over 90% (76/8 0) of patients with breast cancer and differentiated over 90% (72/73) of individuals without cancer. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd