EPSTEIN-BARR VIRAL-DNA IN SERUM OF PATIENTS WITH NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA

This study evaluated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in sera of 42 patien ts with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and 82 healthy individuals who had been infected previously with EBV, Thirteen of 42 NPC samples were positive for EBV DNA in their sera, whereas all 82 normal controls we re negative, In addition, EBV typing between primary tumors and sera s howed identical results, suggesting that serum EBV DNA represented tum or DNA, To evaluate the importance of the serum NPC DNA, clinical data and tumor phenotypes including age, sex, WHO type, EBV type, stage, t umor invasion, metastasis, and apoptosis were correlated with serum EB V DNA, and only apoptosis was found statistically significant, In conc lusion, EBV DNA was detectable in the serum of some patients with NPC, represented tumor DNA, and might have clinical implications in the fu ture.