Dynamic changes in plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA load during treatment have prognostic value in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a retrospective study.

ABSTRACT: Circulating plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA (EBV DNA) is related to tumor recurrence and metastasis and has potential as a dynamic, sensitive, and specific marker in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We investigated the clinical significance of assessing plasma EBV DNA load at various time points during treatment. Patients with NPC (n = 949) for whom plasma EBV DNA load was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) before treatment (pre-EBV) and at midtreatment (mid-EBV), end of treatment (end-EBV), and 3 months after completing treatment (3 m-EBV) were retrospectively assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the optimal EBV DNA cutoff point for each time point. Overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DM

SUBMITTER: He SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5911595 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature