title: On the advent and necessity of molecular biology in the clinical management of lung cancer.
abstract: The very rapidly expanding knowledge and technologies of molecular biology are reviewed with special reference to problems in the clinical management of lung cancer. Genetic events, tumor-associated antigens, production of murine and human monoclonal antibodies, culture of cell lines, intratumoral phenotypic diversity and squamous-lung-cancer-associated antigens are discussed and related to possible therapeutical approaches. A monoclonal antibody with high specificity for squamous cell lung cancer reacted positively in blood samples and tissue extracts in about 80%. Its use as a marker during follow-up after surgical treatment is demonstrated by examples. It is concluded that there will be limiting factors in the therapeutic use of monoclonal antibodies, such as intratumoral phenotypic diversity. Genetic analysis might be a method for selecting a high risk group of individuals in whom exposure to carcinogenic factors, such as cigarette smoking, would be fatal. Murine monoclonal antibodies can be used in vitro for screening, for histological examination and for prognostic studies. Human monoclonal antibodies should be used for in vivo purposes as well as for the screening of primary tumor and metastases for the therapy. To achieve usable results, the monoclonal antibodies should be raised against the cell membranes that, in particular, are expressed on the stem cells of the neoplastic cell population.
mesh_terms: D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000639:trends