[Clinical analysis and long-term follow up study of asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the character of Epstein-Barr(EB) virus serology, fibroscopy appearance and prognosis of asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).


METHODS
Viral capsid antigen's IgA (VCA/IgA) of EB virus and early antigen's IgA(EA/IgA) of EB virus were detected by immunoenzymatic method. The clinical examination was carried out, including indirect mirror examination and fibroscopy of the nasopharynx and multiple biopsies. All patients of NPC were followed up to the end of 1999.


RESULTS
1. The geometric mean titer of VCA/IgA and EA/IgA are 1:100.79 and 1:10.76 respectively when asymptomatic NPC was diagnosed. There were no significant difference between VCA/IgA and EA/IgA antibody titres of asymptomatic patients and symptomatic cases (P > 0.05). The survival rates in these asymptomatic cases were higher than symptomatic patients (P < 0.05). 2. There was no correlation with the VCA/IgA or EA/IgA titer and the prognosis (P > 0.05) and the cervical lymph node metastasis (P > 0.05) when NPC was diagnosed.


CONCLUSIONS
This is helpful to detect asymptomatic NPCs by EB serological screening periodically and nasopharyngeal fibroscopy and multiple biopsies.
Ji
Ming-fang
MF
Cancer Research Institute of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan City, Guangdong, 528403, China. jmftbh@sina.com
Guo
Yuan-qing
YQ
Zheng
Shou-ang
SA
Liang
Jin-sheng
JS
Wang
De-kun
DK
Ou
Xing-tai
XT
D000328:Adult; D004724:Endoscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011379:Prognosis