Clinical Utility of Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Testing in the Management of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients

Publication date: Available online 18 March 2017
Source:International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics
Author(s): Kelly Y. Kim, Quynh-Thu Le, Sue S. Yom, Raymond H.W. Ng, K.C.Allen Chan, Scott V. Bratman, John J. Welch, Rao L. Divi, Raymond A. Petryshyn, Barbara A. Conley
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA analysis has been shown to be useful for early detection, prognostication and monitoring of treatment response of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and the recent literature provides accumulating evidence of the clinical utility of EBV DNA testing, particularly to inform treatment decisions for NPC patients. Despite the fact that NPC is a rare disease, the XXX cooperative group has successfully activated a phase II/III randomized clinical trial for NPC with international partners, and in that process discovered that the development of a harmonized EBV DNA test was absolutely critical for integration into clinical trials as well as for future deployment in clinical and central laboratories. XXX institution convened a workshop of international experts in the treatment of NPC and EBV testing to provide a forum for discussing the state of EBV DNA testing and its clinical utility, as well as to stimulate consideration of future studies and clinical practice guidelines for EBV DNA. This review provides a summary of that discussion.



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