A comparison of the prognostic value of antibody-dependent lymphocyte cytotoxicity and other EBV antibody assays in Chinese patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Antibody titres to EBV-associated antigens in Chinese NPC patients were analysed according to length of survival after diagnosis and to disease stage. Geometric mean titres of ADLC antibody were highest in the long-term survivors, whereas VCA, EA and EBNA antibody titres showed an inverse relationship to survival. High VCA, EA and EBNA titres were less frequent, and high ADLC titres were more frequent in long-term survivors than in intermediate or short-term survivors. The association of geometric mean titres of EBV antibodies with prognosis could not be entirely explained by stage of disease. A functional role for the ADLC antibody is suggested by the association of a high ADLC antibody titre with a good prognosis regardless of stage of disease.