Analysis of prognostic factors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: impact of in situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus encoded small RNA 1.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of clinical, histopathological, and molecular biological parameters on the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).


METHODS
The clinical records of 48 patients with a diagnosis of NPC were retrospectively reviewed. In situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus encoded small RNA 1 (EBER-ISH) was applied for 30 paraffin-embedded specimens available. Prognostic factors of NPC were meticulously analyzed.


RESULTS
The EBER-ISH signal was shown to be highly significant as a favorable prognostic factor (P = 0.007). Although EBV was more commonly associated with Type III NPC, EBER-ISH-positive Type I-II NPC had also significantly better survival rate than EBER-ISH-negative Type I-II NPC (P = 0.036).


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to the WHO histopathological grade, the 1997 UICC staging, nodal status, and distant metastasis at presentation, the EBER-ISH signal was shown to be significant as a prognostic factor.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first report to describe the EBER-ISH as an independent prognostic factor of NPC regardless of histopathology.


METHODS
B-2b.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. knakao-tky@umin.ac.jp
Kazunari
K
Nakao
Masato
M
Mochiki
Ken-ichi
K
Nibu
Masashi
M
Sugasawa
Hiroshi
H
Uozaki
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
C099537:Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA 1; D012367:RNA, Viral