Young Lawrence S
Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
Chin J Cancer. 2014 Nov;33(11):527-8. doi: 10.5732/cjc.014.10208.
The special November and December issues of the Chinese Journal of Cancer celebrate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with a series of reviews covering the association of the virus with various cancers, with special emphasis on the role of EBV in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). The restricted geographic prevalence of NPC along with the tumor's consistent association with EBV infection has fascinated scientists and clinicians ever since it was first suggested in 1966. As in all cancers, NPC development reflects the complex interplay between host genes and environmental factors, but the essential role of EBV infection provides important insight into the etiology of this tumor. Indeed, it is this understanding that is now translating into exciting diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities.
《中国癌症杂志》11月和12月特刊纪念爱泼斯坦-巴尔病毒(EBV)发现50周年,发表了一系列综述,涵盖该病毒与各种癌症的关联,特别强调EBV在鼻咽癌(NPC)发病机制中的作用。自1966年首次提出以来,NPC有限的地理分布以及该肿瘤与EBV感染的持续关联一直吸引着科学家和临床医生。与所有癌症一样,NPC的发生反映了宿主基因与环境因素之间复杂的相互作用,但EBV感染的关键作用为该肿瘤的病因提供了重要见解。事实上,正是这种认识正在转化为令人兴奋的诊断和治疗机会。