IgA and IgG content of the saliva and serum of oral cancer patients

Abstract

Serum and saliva were collected from 20 oral cancer patients and 18 age matched controls. Specimens of whole, parotid and submaxillary saliva were assayed for IgA and IgG on commercially available immunodiffusion plates. The IgA content of the whole saliva and serum of the cancer patients was significantly elevated above that of controls. There was a corresponding increase in whole saliva IgG in the cancer patients but no increase in serum IgG. No elevations of IgA were observed in individual parotid or submandibular samples from the cancer patients. IgG was undetectable in the parotid or submandibular secretions of both groups. The results indicate that the elevated salivary IgA of oral cancer patients is attributable to leakage of serum factors through the damaged epithelium.