Epstein-Barr Virus Infection and Its Correlation to Changes of Cell Immunity in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Objective 　To explore the correlation of EBV infection to changes of cell immunity in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) . Methods 　EBV infection of 55 patient s with NPC was detected by PCR. T lymphocyte, N K and CIK cell activities were measured by flow cytometry. 40 normal healthy volunteers served as control. Results 　The mean value of T lymphocyte cell of NPC patient s was significantly lower than that of cont rol group ( P < 0. 01) ; Infection of EBV was significantly correlated to T lymphocyte cell activities in NPC ( P < 0. 01), but not correlated to CIK and N K cell activities ( P > 0. 05) . Conclusion 　 EBV may inhibit cell immunity and participated in development of NPC. Detecting both EBV and changes of cell immunity can be potentially useful in early diagnosis and selection of a poor prognostic subgroup of NPC patients.