Abstract
BackgroundPrevious studies reported the early diagnostic values of plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-DNA. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the concentration of plasma EBV-DNA and the number of CD8+PD-1+(programmed cell death-1,PD-1) and regulatory T (Treg) cells in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who were treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).MethodsThis study included 37 patients treated with IMRT. Peripheral blood samples were collected two times for each patient, before radiation therapy and 1 week after the treatment. Further, the numbers of CD4+, Treg, CD8+, and CD8+PD1+ cells were determined by flow cytometry.ResultsThe changes after IMRT were determined by comparing the numbers of neutrophils, lymphocytes, CD4+, Treg, CD8+, CD8+PD1+ cells, and the concentration of plasma EBV-DNA between pretreatment and post-treatment groups. IMRT could reduce the expression level of PD-1 and the number of Treg cells. The concentration of plasma EBV-DNA and the expression level of CD8+PD-1+ were closely associated with the occurrence and development of NPC. Thus, EBV-DNA can be used as an important marker for early diagnosis, and IMRT can strongly reduce the copies of EBV-DNA.ConclusionsThis study showed that IMRT could reverse T-cell exhaustion and reduce the copies of EBV-DNA. In clinical practice, plasma EBV-DNA is a sensitive biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis, and evaluation of clinical efficacy.
Highlights
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the head and neck epithelial cancers and is a serious threat to human health
Plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-DNA is regarded as a significant biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)
37 patients were treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and the others lost the follow-up because they moved to another hospital for treatment
Summary
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the head and neck epithelial cancers and is a serious threat to human health. With the development of radiotherapy techniques in recent years, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has been widely applied for treating patients with NPC. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes several lymphomas and has been considered to cause NPC. Plasma EBV-DNA is regarded as a significant biomarker for NPC. Circulating cancer-derived EBV-DNA in plasma has been shown to be associated with the early screening of patients with NPC [5]. Previous studies reported the early diagnostic values of plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-DNA. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the concentration of plasma EBV-DNA and the number of CD8+PD-1+(programmed cell death-1,PD-1) and regulatory T (Treg) cells in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who were treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)
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