How does EBV cause nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
When a cell is infected with the virus, the viral DNA may mix with the normal human DNA. Then the EBV DNA may instruct the cells of the nasopharynx to divide and grow in an abnormal way. Still, EBV infection rarely leads to NPC, so other factors probably play a role in whether or not it causes cancer.
Is nasopharyngeal carcinoma associated with EBV?
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is consistently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in regions in which it is endemic, including Southern China and Southeast Asia. The high mortality rates of NPC patients with advanced and recurrent disease highlight the urgent need for effective treatments.
What type of cancer is associated with EBV?
The Epstein Barr virus (EBV) increases the risk of some cancer types. But, for most people that have the virus, it will not cause them any problems. EBV is linked to Hodgkin lymphoma , Burkitt lymphoma (a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma) and nasopharyngeal cancers.
What cell type does EBV cause nasopharyngeal carcinoma in?
The association of EBV with epithelial cell tumors, specifically nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and EBV-positive gastric carcinoma (EBV-GC), is less clear and is currently thought to be caused by the aberrant establishment of virus latency in epithelial cells that display premalignant genetic changes.
What is the treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
The main treatment for NPC is radiation therapy. It is often given in combination with chemotherapy. This approach may be called concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Surgery for NPC is occasionally used, mainly to remove lymph nodes after chemoradiotherapy or to treat NPC that has come back after initial treatment.
What are the long term effects of Epstein-Barr?
More serious complications may include anemia , nerve damage, liver failure, and/or interstitial pneumonia. Symptoms may be constant or come and go, and tend to get worse over time. CAEBV occurs when the virus remains ‘active’ and the symptoms of an EBV infection do not go away.
Is nasopharyngeal carcinoma hereditary?
Family members of people with NPC are more likely to get this cancer. It’s not known if this is because of inherited genes , shared environmental factors (such as the same diet or living quarters), or some combination of these. Just as people have different blood types, they also have different tissue types.
What is stage 4 nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
In stage IVB, cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes in the neck to distant lymph nodes, such as those between the lungs, below the collarbone, or in the armpit or groin, or to other parts of the body, such as the lung, bone, or liver.
What is Stage 3 nasopharyngeal?
Stage 3 nasopharyngeal cancer means one of the following: The cancer has spread to nearby bones and air cavities (sinuses). It might also have spread to lymph nodes on one or both sides of the neck, or behind the throat, but not anywhere else. The affected lymph nodes are not more than 6 cm across.