[Assay of Epstein-Barr virus in nasopharyngeal tissues and serum of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Determination of EBV-VCA-IgA, EBV-EA-IgA in serum and assay of EBV DNA (PCR) in biopsy tissue has been used for diagnosis of NPC. This paper evaluated the value of the three determinations for diagnosis of NPC. METHOD: 146 patients were investigated. For each patient determination of EBV-VCA-IgA, EBV-EA-IgA in serum and EBV-DNA (PCR) in biopsy tissue were performed with double-blind studies, of 146 patients, 76 were NPC and 70 non nasopharyngeal carcinoma as control, identified with histopathological examination. The differences of the determinations between NPC and control were compared statistically with chi 2-test. RESULT: Of 76 NPC, the positive rates of EBV-DNA (PCR), EBV-VCA-IgA and EBV-EA-IgA were 90.8%, 75.0% and 26.3% respectivelly. For 70 control cases, the positive rates 2.9%, 38.6% and 2.9% respectivelly (P < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that assay of EBV-DNA (PCR) has better sensitivity and specificity than EBV-VCA-IgA and EBV-EA-IgA for diagnosis of NPC.