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Immunoreactive Tn is a pancarcinoma epitope resulting from aberrant glycosylation of mucins in primary carcinomas and their metastases; strong Tn epitope expression is associated with poor prognosis. All humans have anti-Tn antibodies, natural anticarcinoma antibodies, predominantly IgM, elicited primarily by their own intestinal flora. Anti-Tn IgM levels were determined by us, using an enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay and interrelated to the total IgM of the subject’s serum by the formula: Anti-Tn QMe = 100 × [(Anti-Tn IgM)2/ Total IgM]. Anti-Tn Qus naα! higher sensitivity and comparable specificity to anti-Tn IgM alone in breast carcinoma detection. Anti-Tn QMe results were positive in 79% of the 119 breast carcinoma patients tested; they were negative in 84% of the 32 patients with benign breast disease and in 94% of the 49 healthy controls. Further studies of immune responses to the pathogenetic functions of this marker in carcinoma are indicated.

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