Plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA in nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Minangkabau ethnic group.

The Etiology of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is related to Epstein-Barr virus (EBY) infection. In a high incidence of NPC, the EBY genome can be detected in almost all NPC cases. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma has a unique geographical distribution pattern. This research was conducted to analyze the LMP1 (EBY DNA) load in NPC in the Minangkabau patients. This research subjects were Minangkabau untreated NPC patients, while the controls were non-NPC people who were Minangkabau too. Epstein Barr virus DNA copy numbers were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting LMP1 in plasma. A total of 23 patients with NPC and 23 controls were recruited. The EBY DNA copy number were varied, in the patient group ranging from 1,095 -17,057,346 copies/mL with a median of 124,323, while in controls from 3,465 - 175,089 copies/mL with a median of 32,845. The Epstein-Barr Yirus DNA load was classified into low (≤ 50,000) and high (> 50,000). In the case group, 65.2% had EBY DNA load more than 50,000 copy number/mL, while in controls were 34.8%, (p = 0.039). This study concluded that the frequency of high load of plasma EBV DNA was higher in NPC than healthy control in the Minangkabau ethnic group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]