Introduction

In 1965, David M. Goldenberg and Freedman published two papers which were to have a remarkable impact on cancer immunology, diagnosis, detection, and, progression and therapy. These reports described a new cancer antigen, named carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), which was purported to be specific for fetal and malignant gastrointestinal tissues. A National Institutes of Health consensus development conference concluded that CEA could not be used to screen for cancer, or even as a diagnostic for gastrointestinal or other cancers particularly in colorectal carcinoma. Despite its limitation as a true cancer marker increase of CEA in malignant tissue relative to adjacent tissues stimulated Gold and colleagues to speculate that this oncofetal antigen could serve as a target for radiolabeled antibodies. Cervical cancer, which can be identified even before local invasion, how successful early diagnosis has changed the morbidity and mortality of this tumor type.