THE STUDY OF THOMSEN-FRIEDENREICH ANTIGEN AND PROGNOSIS OF THE PATIENTS WITH BLADDER TUMOR

Abstract

The T antigen (Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen) of 91 bladder tumors was investigated by the Avidin-Biotin-peroxidase Complex (ABC) method. Since T-Ag is normally cryptic, cryptantigen (cryptic T-Ag) is investigated by the silalidase treatment in the case of negative T-Ag.
Abnormal antigenicity (positive T-Ag or negative cryptic T-Ag) was found in the 46 out of 91 cases (51%). Abnormal antigenicity was found in 11 out of 32 grade I, in 15 out of 32 grade II, in 20 out of 27 grade III, in 27 out of 65 low stage (<T2) and in 18 out of 24 high stage (≥T2) tumors. There was a correlation between the histological grade or stage and the abnormal antigenicity.
The recurrence rate was 65% in the abnormal antigenicity group, but 35% in the normal antigenicity group.
The survival rate over the total cases was significantly better in the normal antigenicity group than in the abnormal antigenicity group. The survival curve showed some discrepancy in the grade III and in the high stage cases by the absence of antigenicity.
Therefore the investigation of T-Ag and cryptic T-Ag may be valuable in predicting the clinical course of bladder tumors.