title: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in an Alaskan Eskimo family: report of three cases.
abstract: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been reported to occur in Alsaka Natives (Eskimos, Indians, and Aleuts) at a rate greater than 15 times the rate for U.S. whites. At least 3 cases of NPC have occurred in close relatives of a Northern Alaskan Eskimo family. All 3 patients had poorly differentiated tumors and have died. Blood groups, HLA antigens, and antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were studied in the family members. EBV titers were elevated in the 1 NPC patient tested and in 1 of 15 other family members tested. All family members studied except 1 were of blood group A, Rh-positive, and HLA types AW24, CW3, CW40/A2, CW2 and B27. This was the first report of more than 2 cases of NPC in a single family in the United States.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000413:Alaska; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D010375:Pedigree
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D006680:HLA Antigens