Quantitation of immunoglobulins in the effusions of human ovarian epithelial neoplasms.

Cyst and ascites fluid was obtained from 31 different patients with ovarian epithelial neoplasms and was analyzed for the molecular forms and quantities of IgG, IgM, and IgA. The fluids were grouped on the basis of the pathologic diagnosis of the tumor tissue for investigation of the possibility that immunoglobulin levels in fluids from ovarian neoplasms varied with the type of tumor. Immunoglobulin concentrations in most cyst fluid samples were comparable to amounts detected in normal human serum; however, significant reductions in the amounts of IgA in fluids from mucinous cystadenocarcinomas and in the amounts of both IgA and IgM in fluids from mucinous cystadenoma were demonstrated. The cyst fluid immunoglobulins were present in the same molecular forms as serum immunoglobulins, that is, pentameric IgM, predominantly monomeric IgA, and monomeric IgG. The usefulness of cyst effusions as a source of autologous antibodies in the investigation of the immune response to tumors is discussed.