USE OF A POOL OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES IN DIAGNOSING CELLS FROM SEROUS CAVITIES

Aims and Background: The usefulness of monoclonal antibodies that reco gnize markers of neoplastic lesions in complementing conventional cyto logy was evaluated by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex, indirect i mmunoperoxidase technique. Methods: In order to enhance the sensitivit y of the traditional method, a pool of seven combined monoclonal antib odies (Pool C7), which reacts specifically with cells of epithelial or igin and is able to distinguish between mesothelial and malignant cell s, was tested on cytologic smears of 262 serous effusions. The effusio ns were benign or neoplastic, mainly from breast, ovary and lung cance rs. Results: Immunocytochemical method showed an 100 % specificity and 100 % of predictivity whereas the sensitivity was 98 %, 96 % and 95 % for breast ovarian and lung carcinomas, respectively. Conclusions: Th e results demonstrated that the pool when used together with conventio nal methods, is useful in analysis of serous effusions in diagnostic i nvestigations.