[Immunoglobulins in women with cancer of the uterine body (before treatment)].

Abstract

Thirty-five women aged 40 to 79 years with the carcinoma of the body of the uterus were before treatment examined for humoral immunity to find out if the diminished function of the immunological system and immunodeficiency lead to an increased proneness to malignant diseases. Concentrations of total serum proteins, electrophoresis of proteins, and the quantitative determination of G-, A-, and M- immunoglobulins were performed. Lower mean values of IgG (11.94 g/L) and IgA (1.91 g/L) were observed, whereas IgM concentrations did not reveal a statistically significant difference compared with healthy women. The classes, light and heavy chains, as well as immunoglobulin fragments were investigated by immunoelectrophoresis with monospecific antisera. The results revealed a significant accumulation of certain parts of the immunoglobulin molecule, such as gamma heavy chains (in 63% of patients), kappa (77%) and lambda light chains (37%), and fragments--Fab (37%), Fc (57%) i Fd (40%), showing no antibody properties in comparison with the control group of healthy women.