[A dynamic study on titer of EB virus VCA/IgA and EA/IgA in nasopharygeal carcinoma patients].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the change of EB virus VCA/IgA and EA/IgA titer during the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and the role in screening for NPC.


METHODS
VCA/IgA and EA/IgA were monitored in a period of 12 years by immunoenzymatic titration from the sera of 54 NPC patients after primary serological screening.


RESULTS
VCA/IgA and EA/IgA titer had shown gradual increment 1 - 7 years before NPC was pathologically diagnosed. The mean titer of VCA/IgA was 1:21.04, 7 - 4 years before diagnosis. VCA/IgA titer ascended quickly within 3 years before diagnosis. The geometric mean titer (GMT) of VCA/IgA and EA/IgA were 1:76.86 and 1:6.49 when NPC was diagnosed, which descended quickly after radiotherapy and, in 4 years, approached the average titer of VCA/IgA positive population.


CONCLUSIONS
VCA/IgA titer rises uninterruptedly 3 years before NPC is diagnosed pathologically in most patients but their EA/IgA titer rises slowly. The detection of VCA/IgA titer can be used to find early NPC, whereas EA/IgA can not. The pre-clinical phase of NPC is 3 years according to this dynamic study.
Ji
Ming-fang
MF
Cancer Institute, Zhongshan City 528403, China.
Guo
Yuan-qing
YQ
Liang
Jin-sheng
JS
Zheng
Shou-ang
SA
Cheng
Wei-min
WM
Yu
Bing-hui
BH
Ou
Xing-tai
XT
Wang
De-kun
DK
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C041788:Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen; C033305:Epstein-Barr virus early antigen; D007070:Immunoglobulin A