The antibody against viral capsid antigen (VCA) of Epstein-Barr virus (EB virus) has been studied in 59 patients with malignant tumor of the nasopharynx, in 117 patients with tumor of the other sites of the head and neck, and in 263 patients with nonmalignant disease. The anti-VCA titer was determined by Kawamura's modification of Henle's indirect immunofluorescence technic.
The geometric mean titer was 1:794 and the antibody positive rate (≥ 1:640) 82% in patients with nasopharyngeal tumor, while being 1:190 and 37% respectively in those with tumor of the other sites of the head and neck. In 263 patients with nonmalignancy serving as controls, the values were respectively 1:120 and 20%. The anti-VCA titer in patients with naso-pharyngeal carcinoma was significantly higher than that in controls by ridit analysis.
The anti-VCA titer was repeatedly determined in patients with naso-pharyngeal carcinoma at different points of the clinical course.
As the result of the present study, it was shown that in cases of recur-rence or metastasis there was a remarkable elevation of the anti-VCA titer and in cases of short and long term remission there was a decrease in the titer.
We concluded that the anti-VCA titers might serve as a useful clinical parameter for prognosis of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
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