PLASMA EBV AS PROGNOSTIC FACTOR OF NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER

Head Neck. 2011 Nov 15. doi: 10.1002/hed.21890. [Epub ahead of print]

Plasma epstein-barr virus DNA concentration and clearance rate as novel prognostic factors for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Hsu CL, Chang KP, Lin CY, Chang HK, Wang CH, Lin TL, Liao CT, Tsang NM, Lee LY, Chan SC, Ng SH, Li HP, Chang YS, Wang HM.

Source

Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

To investigate the pretreatment copy number and the clearance rate of plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA as novel prognostic outcome markers for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODS:

Seventy-three patients with metastatic NPC were treated at outpatient department. Plasma EBV DNA concentrations and half-life values of plasma viral clearance rates, were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS:

Treatment response evaluated after 3 to 6 months of treatment showed that the overall response rate was 53.5%. The pretreatment plasma EBV DNA concentrations and the half-life of plasma EBV DNA clearance rates had significant effects on treatment response and overall survival prediction. In the chemotherapy regimen, gemcitabine plus cisplatin had a better treatment outcome than the cisplatin plus oral UFT and calcium folinate-based regimens.

CONCLUSIONS:

The pretreatment plasma EBV DNA copy number and their clearance rates are significant predictors for NPC treatment outcome.