Clinical utility of circulating Epstein-Barr virus DNA analysis for the management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the commonest cancers in Southern China. The carcinogenesis is closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. In endemic regions with high incidence of NPC, EBV genome can be detected in virtually all NPC tumor tissues. Over the last decade, circ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inChinese Clinical Oncology Vol. 5; no. 2; p. 18
Main Authors Fung, Sherwood Y. H., Lam, Jacky W. K., Chan, Kwan Chee Allen
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published China 01.04.2016
Subjects
Carcinoma
DNA, Viral - blood
Early Detection of Cancer - methods
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - complications
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - genetics
Herpesvirus 4, Human - genetics
Herpesvirus 4, Human - pathogenicity
Humans
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - pathology
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - virology
Prognosis
Plasma EBV DNA
nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)
screening
prognostication
liquid biopsy
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Summary:Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the commonest cancers in Southern China. The carcinogenesis is closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. In endemic regions with high incidence of NPC, EBV genome can be detected in virtually all NPC tumor tissues. Over the last decade, circulating cell-free EBV DNA has been developed as a tumor marker for NPC. Plasma EBV DNA analysis using real-time PCR has been shown to be useful for early detection, prognostication and monitoring of treatment response of NPC. In this review, the clinical applications of EBV DNA analysis in the management of NPC would be discussed.
ISSN:2304-3865
2304-3873
DOI:10.21037/cco.2016.03.07