Kinetics of EBV antibody-based NPC risk scores in Taiwan NPC multiplex families

Wan-Lun Hsu ^1,2, Jun Tao ³, Sheng Fu ^3,4

⁰Data Science Center, College of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.

International Journal of Cancer +

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June 1, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

The 2-marker Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibody score demonstrated stable long-term performance for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) screening. Repeated testing significantly improved the specificity of both 2-marker and 13-marker NPC risk scores.

Area Of Science

Oncology
Immunology
Epidemiology

Background

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-antibody testing shows promise for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) screening.
The long-term stability of EBV-antibody-based NPC risk prediction models remains unclear.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate the long-term stability and performance of two EBV-antibody NPC risk scores.
To evaluate the impact of repeated testing on the specificity of NPC screening.

Main Methods

Assessed the stability of 2-marker ELISA and 13-marker multiplex serology scores over a 20-year follow-up in 545 participants.
Utilized intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and linear mixed models to evaluate score stability.
Employed Fleiss's kappa statistic to estimate the clustering of positive tests.

Main Results

The 2-marker score exhibited high long-term stability, while the 13-marker score was more variable (p < .05).
Repeated testing enhanced specificity for the 2-marker score from ~90% to ~96% and for the 13-marker score from ~73% to ~92%.
No score reversion was observed in individuals who developed NPC.

Conclusions

The 2-marker EBV-antibody score demonstrates robust long-term stability for NPC screening.
Repeated testing can significantly improve the specificity of NPC screening, particularly in high-risk families.
Further research is needed to assess sensitivity, optimal screening intervals, and generalizability to broader populations.

Keywords:

EBV biomarkers Epstein–Barr virus antibody kinetics cancer screening nasopharyngeal carcinoma