[The clinical value of quantitative analysis of plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the clinical value of quantitative analysis of plasma cell-free EBV-DNA in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) .


METHODS
Using fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR), the copies of EBV-DNA in 66 plasma samples of pre- and post-treated NPC patients were examined, and compared with 30 normal controls. The relationships between the copies of free EBV-DNA and tumor stage, metastases load, as well as short-term therapeutic response were analyzed.


RESULTS
The positive percentage and copies of plasma EBV-DNA of NPC patients (66.7%, Median 522.0) were significantly higher than those of normal controls (10.0%, Median 0). Among the pre-treated patients, plasma EBV-DNA copies in stage III-IV patients (Median 3130.0) were higher than those were in stage I-II (Median 400.0), and the copies of N2-3 patients (Median 3250.0) were higher than those were in N0-1 patients (Median 400.0). And then the level of post-treated patients (Median 0) was lower than that of pre-treated patients (Median 522.0). Depending on the evaluation of therapeutic response, post-treated patients could be classified as two different categories, patients whose tumor regressed satisfyingly and those with remaining lesions. It was found that EBV-DNA copies of the former (Median 0) were lower than those of the latter (Median 2083.0).


CONCLUSIONS
FQ-PCR determination of plasma EBV-DNA may become a promising marker to monitor the course of this disease.
Yuan
Hui
H
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
Yang
Bei-bei
BB
Xu
Ze-feng
ZF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral