Table 1.
Diagnostic performance of 10 plasma biomarkers for detection of NPC
| Comparison | BamHI‐W 76 bp | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | >0 copy/ml | 29 | 1 | 113 | 7 | 94.7% | 96.7% | 94.2% | 0.9726 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. PC | >0 copy/ml | 58 | 2 | 113 | 7 | 95.0% | 96.7% | 94.2% | 0.9756 |
| All NPC vs. PC | >0 copy/ml | 226 | 6 | 113 | 7 | 96.3% | 97.4% | 94.2% | 0.9832 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | >0 copy/ml | 29 | 1 | 113 | 12 | 91.6% | 96.7% | 90.4% | 0.9615 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | >0 copy/ml | 58 | 2 | 113 | 12 | 92.4% | 96.7% | 90.4% | 0.9679 |
| All NPC vs. HC | >0 copy/ml | 226 | 6 | 113 | 12 | 95.0% | 97.4% | 90.4% | 0.9796 |
| Comparison | EBNA1 99 bp | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | >0 copy/ml | 22 | 8 | 119 | 1 | 94.0% | 73.3% | 99.2% | 0.8650 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. PC | >0 copy/ml | 48 | 12 | 119 | 1 | 92.8% | 80.0% | 99.2% | 0.8988 |
| All NPC vs. PC | >0 copy/ml | 200 | 32 | 119 | 1 | 90.6% | 86.2% | 99.2% | 0.9303 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | >0 copy/ml | 22 | 8 | 124 | 1 | 94.2% | 73.3% | 99.2% | 0.8608 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | >0 copy/ml | 48 | 12 | 124 | 1 | 93.0% | 80.0% | 99.2% | 0.8941 |
| All NPC vs. HC | >0 copy/ml | 200 | 32 | 124 | 1 | 90.8% | 86.2% | 99.2% | 0.9281 |
| Comparison | EA IgA | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | <1,006 U/ml1 | 4 | 4 | 83 | 29 | 72.5% | 50.0% | 74.1% | 0.5368 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. PC | >1,852 U/ml | 17 | 13 | 81 | 31 | 69.0% | 56.7% | 72.3% | 0.6226 |
| All NPC vs. PC | >1,510 U/ml | 136 | 53 | 71 | 41 | 68.8% | 72.0% | 63.4% | 0.6835 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | >823.0 U/ml | 7 | 1 | 44 | 9 | 83.6% | 87.5% | 83.0% | 0.8514 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | > 815.0 U/ml | 27 | 3 | 44 | 9 | 85.5% | 90.0% | 83.0% | 0.9094 |
| All NPC vs. HC | >1,002 U/ml | 172 | 17 | 48 | 5 | 90.9% | 91.0% | 90.6% | 0.9567 |
| Comparison | EBNA‐1 IgA | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | >6,147 U/ml | 4 | 4 | 107 | 6 | 91.7% | 50.0% | 94.7% | 0.6565 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. PC | >4,409 U/ml | 10 | 19 | 100 | 13 | 77.5% | 34.5% | 88.5% | 0.6196 |
| All NPC vs. PC | >5,217 U/ml | 58 | 130 | 104 | 9 | 53.8% | 30.9% | 92.0% | 0.6476 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | >5,080 U/ml | 4 | 4 | 50 | 3 | 88.5% | 50.0% | 94.3% | 0.7476 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | >2,988 U/ml | 15 | 14 | 48 | 5 | 76.8% | 51.7% | 90.6% | 0.7586 |
| All NPC vs. HC | >1,791 U/ml | 117 | 71 | 43 | 10 | 66.4% | 62.2% | 81.1% | 0.7886 |
| Comparison | EA IgG | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | >1,605 U/ml | 8 | 0 | 60 | 52 | 56.7% | 100.0% | 53.6% | 0.7031 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. PC | >1,575 U/ml | 28 | 2 | 60 | 52 | 62.0% | 93.3% | 53.6% | 0.7991 |
| All NPC vs. PC | >5,322 U/ml | 156 | 34 | 84 | 28 | 79.5% | 82.1% | 75.0% | 0.8612 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | >1,642 U/ml | 8 | 0 | 50 | 3 | 95.1% | 100.0% | 94.3% | 0.9670 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | >1,481 U/ml | 28 | 2 | 49 | 4 | 92.8% | 93.3% | 92.5% | 0.9415 |
| All NPC vs. HC | >1,642 U/ml | 185 | 5 | 50 | 3 | 96.7% | 97.4% | 94.3% | 0.9765 |
| Comparison | VCA IgA | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | >731.5 U/ml | 8 | 0 | 71 | 42 | 65.3% | 100.0% | 62.8% | 0.7378 |
| Staged I and II NPC vs. PC | >731.5 U/ml | 27 | 2 | 71 | 42 | 69.0% | 93.1% | 62.8% | 0.7667 |
| All NPC vs. PC | >731.5 U/ml | 180 | 8 | 71 | 42 | 83.4% | 95.7% | 62.8% | 0.7979 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | >1,055 U/ml | 6 | 2 | 51 | 2 | 93.4% | 75.0% | 96.2% | 0.9033 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | >964.5 U/ml | 25 | 4 | 50 | 3 | 91.5% | 86.2% | 94.3% | 0.9115 |
| All NPC vs. HC | >1,022 U/ml | 170 | 18 | 51 | 2 | 91.7% | 90.4% | 96.2% | 0.9498 |
| Comparison | BamHI‐W 121 bp | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | >0 copy/ml | 14 | 6 | 48 | 1 | 89.9% | 70.0% | 98.0% | 0.8459 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. PC | >0 copy/ml | 28 | 8 | 48 | 1 | 89.4% | 77.8% | 98.0% | 0.8861 |
| All NPC vs. PC | >0 copy/ml | 48 | 14 | 48 | 1 | 86.5% | 77.4% | 98.0% | 0.8845 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | >0 copy/ml | 14 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 68.8% | 70.0% | 66.7% | 0.6333 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | >0 copy/ml | 28 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 75.0% | 77.8% | 66.7% | 0.6736 |
| All NPC vs. HC | >0 copy/ml | 48 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 75.7% | 77.4% | 66.7% | 0.7218 |
| Comparison | ebv‐miR‐BART7‐3p | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | >5.565 FCOD | 15 | 4 | 38 | 5 | 85.5% | 78.9% | 88.4% | 0.8550 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. PC | >4.145 FCOD | 30 | 5 | 31 | 12 | 78.2% | 85.7% | 72.1% | 0.8399 |
| All NPC vs. PC | >4.085 FCOD | 52 | 19 | 31 | 12 | 72.8% | 73.2% | 72.1% | 0.7737 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| All NPC vs. HC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| Comparison | hsa‐miR‐29a‐3p | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | >9.760 FCOD1 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 0 | 70.7% | 33.3% | 100.0% | 0.6763 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. PC | >9.760 FCOD1 | 9 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 58.2% | 28.1% | 100.0% | 0.5639 |
| All NPC vs. PC | <8.200 FCOD | 25 | 21 | 15 | 8 | 58.0% | 54.3% | 65.2% | 0.5071 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| All NPC vs. HC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| Stages II to IVC NPC vs. PC | <8.300 FCOD | 22 | 6 | 14 | 9 | 70.6% | 78.6% | 60.9% | 0.6250 |
| Comparison | hsa‐miR‐103a‐3p | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutoff | TP | FN | TN | FP | Accuracy | Sensitivity | Specificity | AUC | |
| Stage I NPC vs. PC | >10.89 FCOD1 | 5 | 13 | 20 | 3 | 61.0% | 27.8% | 87.0% | 0.5060 |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. PC | <9.270 FCOD | 19 | 13 | 15 | 8 | 61.8% | 59.4% | 65.2% | 0.5618 |
| All NPC vs. PC | <9.390 FCOD | 31 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 66.7% | 67.4% | 65.2% | 0.6144 |
| Stage I NPC vs. HC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| Stages I and II NPC vs. HC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| All NPC vs. HC | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND | ND |
| Stages II to IVC NPC vs. PC | <9.390 FCOD | 22 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 72.5% | 78.6% | 65.2% | 0.6918 |
All cutoff values were calculated based on Youden index from ROC analysis except BamHI‐W 76 bp, EBNA‐1 99 bp and BamHI‐W 121 bp which had cutoff set as >0 copy/ml.
1
Cutoff is not practical due to biomarker not suitable for detection of early stage NPC.
Abbreviations: FCOD, fold change over detection limit; HC, hospital controls; PC, population controls; ND, not determined.