IgG and IgA antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

Immunoglobulin levels and IgG and IgA antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), viral capsid antigens (VCA) and early antigens (EA) were tested in 67 untreated (5 stage I, 32 stage II, 16 stage III and 14 stage IV), 21 treated and 7 recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and 54 normal subjects. The mean serum concentrations of IgG, IgA and IgM in NPC patients were higher than those of the normal control. 41.1, 86.3, 94.7 and 95.8% of NPC patients had anti-VCA titers of greater than or equal to 1:640 and greater than or equal to 1:40 in IgG and IgA, and anti-EA titers of greater than or equal to 1:40 and greater than or equal to 1:10 in IgG and IgA, respectively. But none of the control had such titers. IgG and IgA levels, anti-VCA titers in IgG and IgA, and anti-EA titers in IgG increased with advances of the disease in untreated NPC patients. Untreated patients had higher anti-VCA titers in IgG, and anti-EA titers in IgG and IgA than 60Co-treated cases, but lower than recurrent patients. Anti-VCA in IgA and IgG was more closely correlated than anti-EA in IgA and IgG. Anti-VCA and anti-EA antibodies in IgA were detected from the throat washing of a NPC patient at clinical stage III.