Short Communication

Residual plasma Epstein–Barr virus DNA after intensity-modulated radiation therapy is associated with poor outcomes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China

Department of Radiation Oncology, Xiamen Cancer Center, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China

Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (Xiamen Branch), Xiamen, 361027, China

‡Authors contributed equally

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Juan Zhou‡

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6703-6687

The School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361003, China

‡Authors contributed equally

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Chen-Lu Lian

Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (Xiamen Branch), Xiamen, 361027, China

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Yi-Feng Yu

The School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China

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Rui Zhou

The School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China

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Qin Lin

*Author for correspondence:

E-mail Address: linqin05@163.com

The School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China

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San-Gang Wu

**Author for correspondence:

E-mail Address: wusg@xmu.edu.cn

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0556-2614

The School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China

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Published Online:1 Nov 2023https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2023-0818

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Abstract

Aim: To investigate the effects of residual plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA levels after 3 months of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) (post_IMRT-EBV DNA) on prognosis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: Data from 300 patients were retrospectively collected for analysis. Results: Of these patients, 25 (8.3%) and 275 (91.7%) had positive and negative post_IMRT-EBV DNA, respectively. Multivariate survival analysis showed that EBV DNA >688 IU/ml was independently associated with inferior distant metastasis-free survival (p = 0.003) and progression-free survival (p = 0.002). Moreover, post_IMRT-EBV DNA was independently associated with inferior locoregional recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio: 4.325; p = 0.018), distant metastasis-free survival (hazard ratio: 10.226; p < 0.001) and progression-free survival (hazard ratio: 10.520; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Positive post_IMRT-EBV DNA is a prognostic biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

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Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Vol. 19, No. 33

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History

Received 22 September 2023

Accepted 19 October 2023

Published online 1 November 2023

Published in print October 2023

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Financial disclosure

The authors have no financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Competing interests disclosure

The authors have no competing interests or relevant affiliations with any organization or entity with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, stock ownership or options and expert testimony.

Writing disclosure

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

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