ASSOCIATION OF IGA-ANTI-FAB AUTOANTIBODIES WITH DISEASE STAGE IN HEAD-AND-NECK CANCER

Patients with head-and-neck cancer commonly have immune defects. It wa s reported that these patients have raised serum IgA levels. We invest igated whether IgA-anti-Fab autoantibodies, which occur in association with immune dysfunction, are present in patients with head-and-neck c ancer. Sera of 101 patients with squamous-cell carcinoma (SCCHN) and 8 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACCHN) of the head and neck w ere tested in ELISA for IgA-anti-Fab autoantibody activity. IgA-anti-F ab serum activity was significantly higher in both SCCHN and ACCHN pat ients than in healthy controls. In patients with SCCHN, an association between stage and IgA-anti-Fab activity was established. Stage-IV pat ients had significantly higher IgA-anti-Fab than stage-I patients or h ealthy controls. Stage-II and stage-III patients had intermediate leve ls. Extremely high IgA-anti-Fab activity was observed in 7 patients wh o died within 6 months following testing, suggesting a relationship of autoimmunity with terminal disintegration of physiological body funct ions. IgA-anti-Fab autoantibodies may explain the occurrence of immune defects in patients with head-and-neck cancer. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, I nc.