THE VALUE OF PE-10, A MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY AGAINST PULMONARY SURFACTANT, IN DISTINGUISHING PRIMARY AND METASTATIC LUNG-TUMORS

A new monoclonal antibody (PE-10) raised against components of pulmona ry surfactant has been assessed for its ability to distinguish primary from secondary carcinomas in the lung, We applied this antibody to a series of 107 primary lung carcinomas, 40 adenocarcinomas of other sit es, and 26 cases of adenocarcinoma metastatic to lung and pleura. Of t he primary lung carcinomas, all the non-mucinous bronchiolo-alveolar c arcinomas were positive whereas all the mucinous cases were negative; 60% of other types of adenocarcinoma were positive and 10% of large ce ll undifferentiated carcinomas, 20% of small cell carcinomas and 40% o f atypical carcinoids also showed focal positivity, Squamous cell carc inomas were all negative, Adenocarcinomas of the breast, kidney, large bowel and ovaries were all negative, as were all 26 cases of adenocar cinoma metastatic to the lung and pleura, We conclude that this antibo dy is highly specific and moderately sensitive for primary tumours of the lung.