Epstein–Barr Virus DNA in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Brief Review

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a B-lymphocytes herpes virus and can transform B lymphocytes to malignant tumor cells if infected. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is strongly associated with EBV. Circulating EBV DNA in plasma has been recognized as an important biomarker of NPC. Much work has been done to validate the ability of circulating EBV DNA for screening, diagnosis, risk stratification, monitoring, and predicting prognosis. This chapter reviews the clinical progress of circulating cell-free EBV DNA in NPC.