上咽頭癌とEBウイルス特異的VおよびN抗体との関連について

STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER AND SPECIFIC ANTI-V AND ANTI-N INDUCED BY EB VIRUS

　Ⅰ．緒言

　上咽頭癌（NPC）患者の血清はしばしばEpstein-Barr Virus（EBV）のV抗原（virion antigen）に対する抗体価の上昇を示すことは既に一般に知られている^1）2），また最近NPC患者の血清には日沼ら^3）4）によつてEBVより誘導された新しい抗原，すなわち，N抗原（non-virion antigen）に対する抗体がV抗体よりもさらに特異的に証明されることが明らかにされている。

　われわれは，昭和45年以来47年までNPC患者11例をはじめとし，その他の上咽頭悪性腫瘍4例，扁桃悪性腫瘍8例，アデノイド11例，慢性上咽頭炎または慢性扁桃炎5例，上顎悪性腫瘍11例，喉頭癌4例，舌癌2例および悪性肉芽腫2例，計58例の患者について，血清中のV抗体価（Anti-V）ならびにN抗体価（Anti-N）を測定した。なお，そのうち上咽頭癌患者の数例については，病床経過を追つて血清中の両抗体価をしばしば測定し局所所見やその他の病状と抗体価の推移について比較観察した。いまだ例数も少なく，検査続行中であるが，若干の知見を得たので以下発表する次第である。

　For the purpose of obtaining titrations towards both antibodies, virion antigen (anti-V) and the new non-virion antigen (anti-N) that were induced by Epstein-Barr virus, sera were taken from 11 cases of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and 47 other diseases, at the ENT Clinic of the Hirosaki University Hospital from 1970 to 1972.

　The geometric mean of anti-N titers of nasopharyngeal cancer cases was 1:584 while that of anti-N was 1:226. The titers of both antibodies of NPC cases were predominently higher than those of the cases with other diseases.

　In observation of the clinical courses of several patients with nasopharyngeal cancer periodical comparisons were made between changes in the local lesions under irradiation, on one hand, and by both antibody titers with their respective sera, on the other. Both titers, anti-V as well as anti-N, generally decreased in number along with regressive changes of the cancer but, conversely increased in number with aggravation of the disease. However, the degree of the decrease or increase in the number of titers appeared to be varied and not always dependent upon the clinical stage of the disease nor the dosage of the irradiation applied.