IgA and IgG Antibodies to EBV and Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy that is specifically endemic in Southern China (age-standardized incidence rate: ASR = 30-50/105 per year) and Southeast Asia (ASR = 9-12/105 per year) but it is uncommon in the rest of the world (McDermott et al., 2001). NPC is one of the top ten cancers in Thailand (ASR = 3-10 /105 per year) and causes dramatical loss of human resources and economic status in Thailand annually (Parkin et al., 1997; Cancer Statistics, 1999). However, NPC patients respond well to radiotherapy with overall 5 years survival rates of 70-80% for stage I disease and 20-30% for stage IV disease, Significance of Plasma IgA and IgG Antibodies to Epstein-Barr Virus Early and Viral Capsid Antigens in Thai Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma