Epstein-Barr virus-associated antibodies and serum biochemistry in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is difficult to diagnose in its early stages. It also has frequent recurrences and/or distant metastases after radiotherapy. Extensive clinical, serological and biochemical studies were done during 1980-1982 on 351 patients to aid in the diagnosis of the disease, especially with recurrence or metastasis. Seropositive rates of the antibody titers against viral capsid antigens (VCA) and early antigens (EA) of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in IgG and IgA classes were 41.7%-100%. They ranked, in order of frequency: anti-VCA/IgA, anti-VCA/IgG, anti-EA/IgG, and anti-EA/IgA. Mean total serum IgG and IgA levels were moderately increased in all patients. Serum GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and mucoprotein were elevated either alone or in combination in a few patients before treatment, in many patients with recurrence or metastases, and in all patients with liver metastasis.