H-SUBSTANCE AS A CARRIER SYSTEM FOR THE A BO ANTIGENS - A DIAGNOSTIC-TOOL IN CLINICAL MEDICINE AND ITS CONCEIVABLE USE FOR CANCER-THERAPY

Aim: To show how the fundamental studies initiated in Germany in the e arly fifties on the correlation between the occurrence of malignant ru mors and the corresponding blood group of the patient (classified usin g the ABO system) have progressed and the extent to which the question s posed have been answered. Sources: All reports in the literature des cribing changes in blood group properties during cancer development ha ve been taken into account. Selection criteria: Special attention was given to those reports referring to II substance and its genetically d etermined precursors as precursors of the isoantigens in area of the A BH-Lewis and other related systems with a key role in the formation of structurally similar neoantigens (tumor markers). Results: the import ance of H substance in the development of malignancies is still unclea r and, in particular. the question whether it has a protective role or is of only pathognomonic significance in the sense of a more or less specific tumormarker or a starting-matrix for such; remains unanswered . Conclusions: More precise measurement methods for specific tumor mar kers must be developed: With an improved differential diagnosis it may then be possible to develop therapeutic strategies.