Cancer diagnosis by fluorescence polarization

The work presented in the following originated in an attempt to modify the SCM test in such a way as to make it applicable as a routine method for the early detection and follow up of cancer. To do this we had first to validate the test itself which has been described by B.& L. Cercek in 1974 and later on, since until this day the test is a controversial issue. When this was done in 1980 we made it our aim to facilitate the test, to increase its accuracy and speed. This lead to the development of a novel method of cell scanning which permits the repeated measurement of a great number of cells, each one individually, after any desired number of manipulations on these cells. Although this method may have important applications in many fields of biology, we limit our discussion here to its original purpose, the diagnosis of cancer. Our presentation will thus be divided into two parts. In the first part we give a description of the SCM test as executed by us; in the second part we describe the Cytoscan, which is the method of cell scanning developed by us, and the tests performed with this equipment until present.