title: Combined determination of Epstein-Barr virus-related antibodies and antigens for diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With the development of molecular biology in recent years, many indexes for detecting Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) have been developed. This study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of combined determination of EBV-related antibodies and antigens, including VCA-IgA, EA-IgA, EBV-DNase antibody and EBV-DNA, in diagnosing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and plasma samples from 160 untreated NPC patients and 76 healthy donors were collected. VCA-IgA and EA-IgA in the serum samples were detected by immunoenzyme staining method. Raji cells were stimulated by ortho-butanoic acid and croton oil to detect EBV-DNase antibody. The content of EBV-DNA in the plasma samples was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR). The diagnostic values of the indexes for NPC were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing NPC were 90.0% and 89.5% for VCA-IgA, 75.0% and 94.7% for EA-IgA, 76.3% and 90.8% for EBV-DNase antibody, 68.8% and 88.2% for EBV-DNA, and 98.8% and 84.2% for combined determination. The positive rates of VCA-IgA and EA-IgA had no relationship with clinical stage of NPC (p > 0.05); nevertheless, the positive rates of EBV-DNase antibody and EBV-DNA were related with clinical stage (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sensitivity of VCA-IgA and the specificity of EA-IgA are the highest while detecting solely. Combined determination could improve the diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy for NPC. EBV-DNase antibody and EBV-DNA could be helpful to evaluate the course of disease and classify the clinical stage of NPC.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China. luoyaolingluo@126.com
authors.forename: Yao-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Guo-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Pei-Dong
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Yong-Neng
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Yu-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ma-Yan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A