Comparison of Epstein-Barr virus DNA level in plasma, peripheral blood cell and tumor tissue in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA (EBV-DNA) level has been found to be an indicator for staging and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).


METHODS
The EBV-DNA level in plasma, peripheral blood cells (PBC) and neoplastic tissues was quantitatively analyzed and potential associations with clinical parameters of NPC were investigated.


RESULTS
The plasma EBV-DNA detecting rate and level in NPC (92%, 82,500 copies/ml) was significantly higher than that in NPC after treatment (19%, 0 copy/ml) and in controls (12%, 0 copy/ml) (p < 0.001); while there was no significance of the PBC EBV-DNA detecting rate and EBV-DNA load in NPC before (24%, 0 copy/actin) and after treatment (14%, 0 copy/actin), and in controls (16%, 0 copy/actin). The plasma EBV-DNA level was not correlated to the PBC EBV-DNA load in NPC before (p = 0.92) and after treatment (p = 0.267), and in controls (p = 0.735). The EBV-DNA level in NPC tumor (27.8 copies/actin) was significantly higher than that in nasopharyngitis and was positively correlated to the ratio of EBER1-positive cells on the NPC section (p = 0.001). The plasma EBV-DNA level was significantly increased in TNM stages I, II, III and IV NPC, whereas there was no significant difference of PBC EBV-DNA load in different stage NPC.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that plasma EBV-DNA is a more sensitive and reliable biomarker than PBC EBV-DNA for diagnosis, staging and therapeutic effect evaluation at a molecular level in NPC clinical practice. Plasma EBV-DNA may derive from the cancer cells and PBC EBV-DNA from circulating mononuclear cells in NPC patients.
Shao
Jian-Yong
JY
Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P R China. jyshao@gzsums.edu.cn
Zhang
Yu
Y
Li
Yu-Hong
YH
Gao
Hong-Yi
HY
Feng
Hui-Xia
HX
Wu
Qiu-Liang
QL
Cui
Nian-Ji
NJ
Cheng
Gang
G
Hu
Bin
B
Hu
Li-Fu
LF
Ernberg
Ingemar
I
Zeng
Yi-Xin
YX
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004279:DNA, Viral; C099537:Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA 1; D012367:RNA, Viral