title: Positivity of both plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA and serum Epstein-Barr virus capsid specific immunoglobulin A is a better prognostic biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Positivity of plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-DNA or serum virus capsid antigen-specific IgA (VCA-IgA) is a biomarker for the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The objective of this study was to determine the value of positivity for plasma EBV-DNA and/or VCA-IgA in predicting the survival of patients with NPC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma EBV-DNA and serum VCA-IgA in 506 NPC patients in this retrospective study were detected by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay, respectively. The value of positivity for EBV-DNA and/or VCA-IgA in predicting the survival of patients with NPC was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with positivity for both EBV-DNA and VCA-IgA had significantly shorter periods of relapse free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) than those with positive single measure or negative for both measures, and patients with positive single measure had significantly shorter periods of RFS and OS than those with negative for both. Multivariate analysis indicated that the positivity for EBV-DNA and/or VCA-IgA were significant risk factors for shorter periods of RFS and OS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicated that positivity for both EBV-DNA and VCA-IgA was a better biomarker for the prognosis of patients with NPC. Our findings may provide new references for clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China ; Department of Otolaryngology, the Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu 610031, China.
authors.forename: Fei-Peng
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Bo-Long
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510900, China.
authors.forename: Fang-Yin
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Huai-Hong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: Biomarker; Epstein–Barr virus DNA; Epstein–Barr virus capsid specific immunoglobulin A; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Prognosis