Plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA as a biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA as a biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Chin J Cancer. 2014 Nov 21; Authors: Chan KC Abstract Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is common in southern China and Southeast Asia. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is an important etiology for NPC, and EBV genome can be detected in almost all tumor tissues of NPC in this region. Quantitative measurement of plasma EBV DNA using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis has developed as a biomarker for NPC. In this review, the different clinical applications of plasma EBV DNA in the management of NPC, including screening, monitoring and prognostication, are discussed. In addition, the biological issues of circulating EBV DNA, including the molecular nature and clearance kinetics, are also explored. PMID: 25418194 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Chinese Journal of Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: Chin J Cancer Source Type: research