Increases in immunoglobulin and complement in patients with esophageal or gastric cancer.

Based on data providing evidence that the enhancement of serum IgG and IgA is associated with the occurrence of infectious complications following surgery in patients with esophageal cancer, we examined the possible factors contributing to alterations in the serum IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4, and CH50 levels. A multiple linear regression analysis was made on data obtained from 71 patients with esophageal cancer and 57 with gastric cancer. In the patients with esophageal cancer, age and protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) were related to the elevation of IgG levels while the stage of cancer was linked to that of IgA. The sex and IgM levels were also seen to be related. Age and the stage of cancer were associated with reductions in C3, C4, and CH50 levels, although in the patients with gastric cancer, the stage of cancer and elevations of these complement levels were related. Thus, age, PCM, and tumor malignancy are all factors related to the enhancement of IgG or IgA in patients with esophageal cancer.