Nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Burkitt's lymphoma in a Canadian family. I. HLA typing, EBV antibodies and serum immunoglobulins

Abstract

Two nasopharyngeal carcinomas of the lymphoepithelioma type and two Burkitt's lymphomas with the characteristic histopathologic features developed in three siblings and one first-degree cousin in a large French-Canadian family. Epstein-Barr virus antibody titres in the two lymphoepithelioma cases but not in the Burkitt's lymphoma cases were, as expected, greatly elevated. HLA typing of the family members failed to disclose HLA antigens A2 and B Sin-2, which have been associated with lymphoepithelioma in Asia. The occurrence, however, of a plasmacytoma in one other first-degree cousin and low serum IgA values in several siblings and cousins suggests the possibility of a genetically determined predisposing B-cell dysfunction in the development of these tumours.