Diagnostic and Prognostic Indications of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a disease that is highly associated with the latent infection of Epstein–Barr virus. The absence of obvious clinical signs at the early stage of the disease has made early diagnosis practically impossible, thereby promoting the establishment and progression of the disease. To enhance the stride for a reliable and less invasive tool for the diagnosis and prognosis of NPC, we synopsize biomarkers belonging to the two most implicated biological domains (oncogenes and tumor suppressors) in NPC disease. Since no single biomarker is sufficient for diagnosis and prognosis, coupled with the fact that the known established methods such as methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), multiplex methylation-specific PCR, microarray assays, etc., can only accommodate a few biomarkers, we propose a 10-biomarker panel (KIT, LMP1, PIKC3A, miR-141, and miR-18a/b (oncogenic) and p16, RASSF1A, DAP-kinase, miR-9, and miR-26a (tumor suppressors)) based on their diagnostic and prognostic values. This marker set could be explored in a multilevel or single unified assay for the diagnosis and prognosis of NPC. If carefully harnessed and standardized, it is hoped that the proposed marker set would help transform the diagnostic and prognostic realm of NPC, and ultimately, help prevent the life-threatening late-stage NPC disease.

Prevalence of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Patients with Dermatomyositis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Studies that investigated the occurrence of NPC and/or other cancers in patients suffering DM were considered for inclusion. We excluded (1) opinions, reviews, letters, book chapters, editorials and case reports; (2) studies that reported the occurrence of NPC in conditions other than DM; (3) studies whose NPC screening status were unclear or that did not include NPC among the cancers examined in DM patients and (4) articles whose full text could not be accessed. To ensure an exhaustive search, we perused and reviewed the references of the included studies.…”

“…Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare, malignant, non-lymphomatous, squamous-cell carcinoma arising from the epithelial lining of the nasopharynx [ 1 , 2 ]. The neoplasm is highly associated with latent infection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), an organism present in about 95% of the total population [ 2 , 3 ].…”

“…Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare, malignant, non-lymphomatous, squamous-cell carcinoma arising from the epithelial lining of the nasopharynx [ 1 , 2 ]. The neoplasm is highly associated with latent infection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), an organism present in about 95% of the total population [ 2 , 3 ]. Although the occurrence of this type of tumor among patients had been documented prior to 1901 [ 4 ], one of the early most exhaustive studies describing the clinicopathological characteristics of NPC drawn from 114 patients in Hong Kong was published in 1941 [ 5 ].…”

“…To date, the precise cause of the disease remains unclear. However, an array of risk factors has been described including ethnicity, hereditary trends, dietary habits, tobacco smoking and infection with EBV [ 2 , 9 ].…”

Performance of Plasma HSP90α, Serum EBV VCA IgA Antibody and Plasma EBV DNA for the Diagnosis and Prognosis Prediction of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

“…12 Currently, the diagnosis of NPC primarily depends on biopsy and imaging tools 1 ; however, early diagnosis is very difficult because of the specific anatomic location of the nasopharynx. 13 Most individuals are diagnosed at late stages of NPC with distal metastases since there are no specific symptoms or signs at an early stage, which greatly affects the clinical outcomes. 11 Screening of biomarkers is therefore of great clinical significance for the diagnosis and prognostic prediction of NPC.…”