Patent ID: 6869801

Claim:
A method of screening for a premalignant or neoplastic disease state in the squamous cells of a cervical smear sample containing columnar and squamous cells of the cervix, the method comprising contacting said sample with a panel of two or more monoclonal antibodies, said panel of antibodies including at least one monoclonal antibody specific for columnar cells and at least one monoclonal antibody specific for squamous cells, wherein said panel of monoclonal antibodies binds to surface antigens of normal columnar and squamous cells; verifying that the cervical sample comprises columnar cells by detecting the binding of the monoclonal antibody specific for columnar cells in the cervical sample; comparing the pattern of binding of the panel of monoclonal antibodies in said sample with the pattern of binding of said monoclonal antibody panel to a normal cervical cell sample, wherein an alteration of the pattern of binding of the monoclonal antibody or antibodies which bind to squamous cells in the cervical smear sample relative to the pattern of binding of the monoclonal antibody or antibodies which bind to squamous cells in a normal cervical cell sample is indicative of a premalignant or neoplastic disease state.