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Reactivity against herpes simplex virus in patients with head and neck cancer
Author(s) -
Larsson PA.,
Edström S.,
Westin T.,
Nordkvist A.,
Hirsch J. M.,
Vahlne A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910490104
Subject(s) - medicine , head and neck cancer , herpes simplex virus , antibody , western blot , cancer , immunology , titer , virus , antibody titer , serology , virology , biology , gene , biochemistry
The relation between herpes simplex virus (HSV) and head and neck cancer was examined. A total of ninety patients were analyzed for IgG antibodies against HSV. Antibody titers were established with an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and antibodies against specific HSV‐antigens were analyzed by Western blot. These patients' seroreactivity was compared to that of an age‐matched control group of patients with arteriosclerotic disease in their lower limbs, a disease also closely related to heavy tobacco consumption. Prevalence of antibodies against HSV was around 90% and did not differ significantly between cancer patients and controls, but antibody titers against HSV were significantly higher in the cancer patients. The cancer patients also reacted more constantly (80%) in Western blot analysis against the early immediate protein, ICP‐4, than controls (50%). This suggests a different course of an earlier herpetic infection in these patients with a prolonged exposure to early immediate HSV‐proteins which may be related to an increased risk of developing head and neck cancer. We propose that heavy smoking may contribute to this phenomenon.