Five-year survival of patients with oral cancer and its association with antibody to herpes simplex virus.

Levels of antibody to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) were measured in 70 patients with untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth. After treatment the actuarial survival was determined at quarterly intervals for 5 years and was found to be associated with the pretreatment level of antibody to the virus. Patients with levels of IgM antibody to HSV-1 which were above the median level had a 5-year survival of only 56% whereas those with levels below the median had a higher survival of 72%. Patients with no detectable IgM antibody to HSV-1 had a 5-year survival of 81%. The reverse was seen with IgG antibody to HSV-1. Patients with higher than the median level of IgG antibody had a 5-year survival of 73%, whereas those with IgG antibody below the median had a 5-year survival of 56%. No relationship was seen between survival and levels of IgA antibody to HSV-1, or between survival and antibody of any class to cytomegalovirus. The data are consistent with the reported association between oral cancer and HSV-1.