title: Generation and evaluation of a monoclonal antibody, designated MAdL, as a new specific marker for adenocarcinomas of the lung.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Different therapy regimens in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are of rising clinical importance, and therefore a clear-cut subdifferentiation is mandatory. The common immunohistochemical markers available today are well applicable for subdifferentiation, but a fraction of indistinct cases still remains, demanding upgrades of the panel by new markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report here the generation and evaluation of a new monoclonal antibody carrying the MAdL designation, which was raised against primary isolated human alveolar epithelial cells type 2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Upon screening, one clone (MAdL) was identified as a marker for alveolar epithelial cell type II, alveolar macrophages and adenocarcinomas of the lung. In a large-scale study, this antibody, with an optimised staining procedure for formalin-fixed tissues, was then evaluated together with the established markers thyroid transcription factor-1, surfactant protein-A, pro-surfactant protein-B and napsin A in a series of 362 lung cancer specimens. The MAdL displays a high specificity (>99%) for adenocarcinomas of the lung, together with a sensitivity of 76.5%, and is capable of delivering independent additional diagnostic information to the established markers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that MAdL is a new specific marker for adenocarcinomas of the lung, which helps to clarify subdifferentiation in a considerable portion of NSCLCs.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Research Center Borstel, Parkallee 1-40, D-23845 Borstel, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marwitz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baron-Lühr
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zissel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kugler
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Rabe
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zabel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vollmer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerdes
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goldmann
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor