title: Genetic and epigenetic changes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignancy with remarkable racial and geographic distribution. The development of this EBV-associated cancer likely involves cumulative genetic and epigenetic changes in a background of predisposed genetic and environmental factors. Genome-wide studies have unravelled multiple chromosomal abnormalities with involvement of specific oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. Alterations of genes such as Ras association domain family 1A (RASSF1A), p16/INK4A, p14/ARF suggest that multiple cellular pathways were dysregulated in the NPC cells. Studies on the precancerous lesions revealed early genetic changes and a critical role of EBV latent infection in the development of this cancer. Based on the existing findings, a pathogenetic model for NPC is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology and Institute of Molecular Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, PR, China. kwlo@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Kwok-Wai
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Dolly P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D000075982:Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D019175:DNA Methylation; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009857:Oncogenes; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
chemical_list: C403514:CADM1 protein, human; D000075982:Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C411762:RASSF1 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins