Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Antigens in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Relation to Clinical Course of American Patients

Long-term follow-up of IgG and IgA antibodies against viral capsid antigens of Epstein-Barr virus in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

“…Although the etiological role of EBV in the pathogenesis of NPC still awaits further confirmation, the close correlation of EBV-associated antibody titres with the clinical status of NPC is well documented (Henle et al, 1970;Ida et al, 1973). Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the existence of NPC tissue will promote serum anti-VCA antibody level (Coates et al ,1978;Lynn etal, 1977;Lynn and Tu, 1979). In the present study, the cured patients have shown stabilized low seropositive rates, both in IgG and IgA classes of anti-VCA antibody titres, since the second year following radiotherapy.…”

“…Most patients with NPC were found to have high titres of antibodies against viral capsid antigens (VCA) of EBV in both IgG and IgA classes in the serum (Henle and Henle, 1976;Klein et al, 1970). The antibody titres were also in positive correlation with clinical staging and prognosis of the patients, both in Taiwan (Lynn etal., 1973b;Lynn etal., 1977) and in other parts of the world (Coates et al, 1978;Neel et al, 1983). The present communication reports the results of long-term follow-up of NPC patients obtained from serological and clinical studies.…”