Epstein Barr virus antibody and cancer risk in two prospective cohorts in Southern China
Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in several human cancers, but its broader cancer risk remains unclear. We investigated the association between EBV VCA-IgA antibody levels and cancer risk in two large prospective cohorts from Southern China, comprising 73,939 adults. During arou...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60999-5 |
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| author | Ming-Fang Ji Yong-Qiao He Min-Zhong Tang Wen-Qiong Xue Xia Yu Hua Diao Da-Wei Yang Zhi-Ming Mai Io Hong Cheong Zhi-Yang Zhao Biao-Hua Wu Fu-Gui Li Ji-Yun Zhan Chang-Ling Huang Hao-Lin Ma Jun Li Yan-Cheng Li Tong-Min Wang Ying Liao Xue-Yin Chen Zhi-Heng Liang Shi-Feng Lian Yun Du Xue-Jun Liang Zisis Kozlakidis Jun Ma Wei-Hua Jia |
| author_facet | Ming-Fang Ji Yong-Qiao He Min-Zhong Tang Wen-Qiong Xue Xia Yu Hua Diao Da-Wei Yang Zhi-Ming Mai Io Hong Cheong Zhi-Yang Zhao Biao-Hua Wu Fu-Gui Li Ji-Yun Zhan Chang-Ling Huang Hao-Lin Ma Jun Li Yan-Cheng Li Tong-Min Wang Ying Liao Xue-Yin Chen Zhi-Heng Liang Shi-Feng Lian Yun Du Xue-Jun Liang Zisis Kozlakidis Jun Ma Wei-Hua Jia |
| author_sort | Ming-Fang Ji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in several human cancers, but its broader cancer risk remains unclear. We investigated the association between EBV VCA-IgA antibody levels and cancer risk in two large prospective cohorts from Southern China, comprising 73,939 adults. During around 8-10 years follow-up, 964 and 1026 incident cancer cases were identified in the Zhongshan and Wuzhou cohorts. VCA-IgA seropositivity was associated with higher age-standardized incidence rates for total cancer significantly. In pooled analyses, VCA-IgA seropositive individuals had higher risks of total cancer (HR 4.88, 95% CI: 2.84-8.37), lung cancer (1.76, 1.23-2.54), liver cancer (1.70, 1.10-2.63), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (26.05, 11.77-57.65), and lymphoma (3.20, 1.46-6.99) compared to seronegative individuals. The associations showed an increased dose-response pattern, and keep persistent even up to ten years prior to diagnosis. The population-attributable risk percentage for total cancer due to VCA-IgA seropositivity is estimated at 7.8%. These findings provide prospective evidence that EBV seropositivity is associated with increased risks of multiple cancers. This association results in a heightened attributed cancer burden in Southern China. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d56ca90f20d44849bf9a238c6100e83e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-d56ca90f20d44849bf9a238c6100e83e2025-08-20T04:01:35ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-60999-5Epstein Barr virus antibody and cancer risk in two prospective cohorts in Southern ChinaMing-Fang Ji0Yong-Qiao He1Min-Zhong Tang2Wen-Qiong Xue3Xia Yu4Hua Diao5Da-Wei Yang6Zhi-Ming Mai7Io Hong Cheong8Zhi-Yang Zhao9Biao-Hua Wu10Fu-Gui Li11Ji-Yun Zhan12Chang-Ling Huang13Hao-Lin Ma14Jun Li15Yan-Cheng Li16Tong-Min Wang17Ying Liao18Xue-Yin Chen19Zhi-Heng Liang20Shi-Feng Lian21Yun Du22Xue-Jun Liang23Zisis Kozlakidis24Jun Ma25Wei-Hua Jia26Cancer Research Institute of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan City People’s HospitalState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer CenterWuzhou Red Cross HospitalState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer CenterCancer Research Institute of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan City People’s HospitalSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen UniversitySchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen UniversityRadiation Epidemiological Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthState Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Centre for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen UniversityCancer Research Institute of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan City People’s HospitalCancer Research Institute of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan City People’s HospitalPublic Health Service Center of Xiaolan TownSchool of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen UniversityGuilin Medical UniversityWuzhou Red Cross HospitalWuzhou Red Cross HospitalState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer CenterState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer CenterState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer CenterCancer Research Institute of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan City People’s HospitalCancer Research Institute of Zhongshan City, Zhongshan City People’s HospitalSouthwest HospitalPublic Health Service Center of Xiaolan TownInternational Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health OrganizationState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer CenterState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer CenterAbstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in several human cancers, but its broader cancer risk remains unclear. We investigated the association between EBV VCA-IgA antibody levels and cancer risk in two large prospective cohorts from Southern China, comprising 73,939 adults. During around 8-10 years follow-up, 964 and 1026 incident cancer cases were identified in the Zhongshan and Wuzhou cohorts. VCA-IgA seropositivity was associated with higher age-standardized incidence rates for total cancer significantly. In pooled analyses, VCA-IgA seropositive individuals had higher risks of total cancer (HR 4.88, 95% CI: 2.84-8.37), lung cancer (1.76, 1.23-2.54), liver cancer (1.70, 1.10-2.63), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (26.05, 11.77-57.65), and lymphoma (3.20, 1.46-6.99) compared to seronegative individuals. The associations showed an increased dose-response pattern, and keep persistent even up to ten years prior to diagnosis. The population-attributable risk percentage for total cancer due to VCA-IgA seropositivity is estimated at 7.8%. These findings provide prospective evidence that EBV seropositivity is associated with increased risks of multiple cancers. This association results in a heightened attributed cancer burden in Southern China.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60999-5 |
| spellingShingle | Ming-Fang Ji Yong-Qiao He Min-Zhong Tang Wen-Qiong Xue Xia Yu Hua Diao Da-Wei Yang Zhi-Ming Mai Io Hong Cheong Zhi-Yang Zhao Biao-Hua Wu Fu-Gui Li Ji-Yun Zhan Chang-Ling Huang Hao-Lin Ma Jun Li Yan-Cheng Li Tong-Min Wang Ying Liao Xue-Yin Chen Zhi-Heng Liang Shi-Feng Lian Yun Du Xue-Jun Liang Zisis Kozlakidis Jun Ma Wei-Hua Jia Epstein Barr virus antibody and cancer risk in two prospective cohorts in Southern China Nature Communications |
| title | Epstein Barr virus antibody and cancer risk in two prospective cohorts in Southern China |
| title_full | Epstein Barr virus antibody and cancer risk in two prospective cohorts in Southern China |
| title_fullStr | Epstein Barr virus antibody and cancer risk in two prospective cohorts in Southern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epstein Barr virus antibody and cancer risk in two prospective cohorts in Southern China |
| title_short | Epstein Barr virus antibody and cancer risk in two prospective cohorts in Southern China |
| title_sort | epstein barr virus antibody and cancer risk in two prospective cohorts in southern china |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60999-5 |
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