The main objectives of this research project are the isolation, purification, and characterization, of an antigen specific for human pancreatic cancer, and the development of a specific radioimmunoassay for its measurement in human serum. Two possible sources of pancreatic cancer antigen are fetal pancreas and pancreatic cancer tissue. We have developed specific antisera against fetal pancreas tissue. This antiserum was obtained by absorption of against an immobilized extract of adult pancreas tissue. The resulting antisera recognized fetal antigens and was directly primarily against an antigen which migrated with beta mobility in immunoelectrophoresis on agarose gels. However, this antisera did not distinquish between cancer sera and normal sera, both of which had variable weak precipitin lines versus the antibody preparation employed. For this reason, we have begun work on isolation of antigens and development of antisera against cancer specific antigens from pancreatic tumor tissue. Work is currently in progress on production of antisera against pancreatic cancer tissue and acites fluid from a patient with ca of the pancreas.