Epstein-Barr virus specific IgA serum antibodies in nasopharyngeal and other respiratory carcinomas

In order to better understand the relationship between IgA and IgG antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), we analyzed 230 NPC sera but also a series of sera from patients with other carcinomas selected for their high EBV/IgG antibody titres. We were surprised to find that 21 out of 46 sera from bronchopulmonary carcinomas (BPC) and 6 out of 7 carcinomas of nasal fossae were IgA anti-VCA positive, and 9 BPC sera and 5 nasal fossae sera were also positive for IgA and anti-EA. Bronchial undifferentiated small-cell carcinomas may represent a particular group associated with high EBV profile.