Anti-malignin antibody explained

Anti-malignin antibody is a putative general antibody marker for malignant cancers, and the basis for a cancer screening test marketed by Oncolab of Boston, Mass. Initial claims for the effectiveness of the test emerged in the refereed literature in the mid-1990s.^{[1] [2] [3]}

However, the diagnostic efficacy of the test, as determined by its sensitivity and specificity has since been disputed ^{[4] [5]}

Notes and References

1. Abrams M B et al Early detection and monitoring of cancer with the anti-malignin antibody test Cancer Detection & Prevention 1994 18(1):65-78 http://amastest.com/pdfs/CancerDet_Prev.1994.pdf
2. Botti C, Martinetti A, Nerini-Molteni S, Ferrari L . Anti-malignin antibody evaluation: a possible challenge for cancer management . Int. J. Biol. Markers . 12 . 4 . 141–7 . 1997 . 9582602 . 10.1177/172460089701200401. 13377112 .
3. Thornthwaite JT. Anti-malignin antibody in serum and other tumor marker determinations in breast cancer. Cancer Lett 2000;148:39–48
4. Harman, S.M et al Discrimination of Breast Cancer by Anti-Malignin Antibody Serum Test in Women Undergoing Biopsy Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention October 2005 14; 2310 doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-04-0802
5. Web site: Anti-Malignin Antibody -- A Screening Test for Cancer? .