鼻咽癌的免疫治疗进展*

鼻咽癌是一种与EB病毒（Epstein-Barrvirus,EBV ）相关的恶性肿瘤,单纯放疗或同步放化疗是鼻咽癌重要的治疗手段,且取得较好的疗效,但局部晚期或远处转移的鼻咽癌患者预后仍较差。目前,免疫治疗已成为实体肿瘤治疗的新方向,其主要通过激活机体的免疫系统从而达到抗肿瘤的目的。本文旨在探讨免疫治疗如过继性免疫治疗、肿瘤疫苗、免疫节点抑制剂等在鼻咽癌治疗中的进展。      

鼻咽癌靶向治疗及免疫治疗的研究进展

鼻咽癌治疗方式主要包括放疗和化疗。近几年,尽管治疗方案有较多进展,但是局部复发或远处转移常常导致治疗失败。鼻咽癌与爱泼斯坦-巴尔病毒(EBV)感染、肿瘤淋巴细胞浸润(TIL)和程序性死亡受体1(PD-1)或其配体(PD-L1)表达增加有关,这些都可能成为治疗靶点,因此靶向及免疫治疗可能是未来的发展方向。目前有多项临床研究正在进行,验证了靶向及免疫治疗在鼻咽癌治疗中具有潜力,特别是在治疗复发或转移性鼻咽癌方面取得了突破进展。全文就靶向及免疫治疗在鼻咽癌中的研究进行综述。     

血浆EB病毒DNA检测在鼻咽癌中的应用进展

EB病毒(Epstein-Barr virus,EBV)与鼻咽癌的发生、发展密切相关,采用PCR方法对鼻咽癌患者不同阶段的血浆EB病毒DNA (EBV DNA)进行定量检测可有效评估患者对治疗的反应,预测复发、转移的风险,治疗前的EBV DNA基线浓度与肿瘤负荷密切相关,而治疗后的EBV DNA含量与肿瘤复发转移关系更密切.EBV DNA定量检测有望成为一种新的肿瘤预后指标.本文就鼻咽癌患者不同时期的EBV DNA水平在诊断、分期、疗效评估和预后预测中的应用进行综述.     

黄芪对鼻咽癌危险患者临床治疗初探

EBV特异的核壳抗原IgA抗体(VCA/IgA)在鼻咽癌的早期诊断上的价值巳早被公认,并广泛应用于临床,VCA/IgA抗体阳性滴度上升者,更是潜在的发生鼻咽癌的高危人群。以往对此尚无有效治疗方法,我们在对鼻咽癌患者天然杀伤(NK)细胞     

宫颈上皮内瘤变与宫颈鳞癌组织的差异蛋白质组学研究

[目的]探讨鼻咽癌患者血浆EBV DNA、VCA-IgA的检测意义.[方法]采用荧光定量PCR技术检测血浆EBV DNA水平,常规免疫酶法检测VCA-IgA抗体滴度,分别检测168例初诊鼻咽癌患者和健康对照者60人的血液标本.[结果]鼻咽癌患者血浆EBV DNA、VCA-IgA阳性率分别为34.52％(58/168)和62.50％ (105/168),均明显高于健康对照者的3.33％(2/60)和6.67％(4/60) (P均＜0.01);两者联合检测的敏感度显著高于单一指标检测(P＜0.05).治疗后EBV DNA及VCA-IgA阳性率均明显低于治疗前(P＜0.01);肿瘤残余组患者血浆EBV DNA、VCA-IgA阳性率明显高于肿瘤完全消退组及健康对照组(P＜0.01).[结论]血浆EBV DNA、VCA-IgA联合检测在鼻咽癌诊断、近期疗效判定方面有重要价值.     

鼻咽癌患者血浆游离EBV/DNA的定量检测及其临床意义

目的:探讨血浆EBV/DNA定量分析,在鼻咽癌早期诊断、临床分期、预后判断和监测放疗后转移复发中的临床意义.方法:采用荧光定量PCR方法定量检测经病理确诊为鼻咽癌的120例初治、90例放疗后随诊患者,其中包括60例放疗后持续缓解,30例远处转移和局部复发患者的血浆EBV/DNA含量.结果:初治、远处转移和局部复发的鼻咽癌患者血浆中游离的EBV/DNA检出率分别为96.0%、95.0%和100%,显著高于治疗后持续缓解鼻咽癌患者、健康对照者和非鼻咽癌的肿瘤患者;初治鼻咽癌患者各TNM分期之间血浆EBV/DNA拷贝数有显著统计学差异,晚期患者(Ⅲ Ⅳ)期血浆EBV/DNA中位拷贝数显著高于早期患者(I Ⅱ)期;初治患者治疗后已出现局部和远处转移者.治疗前血浆EBV/DNA中位数显著高于尚未出现复发转移患者:初治患者治疗前血浆EBV/DNA≥40 000拷贝/ml与＜40 000拷贝/ml两个水平,患者22个月无复发生存率分别为46.1%和92.9%,有显著统计学差异;放疗后复发、转移鼻咽癌患者血浆EBV/DNA的中位拷贝数显著高于治疗后持续缓解患者.结论:采用荧光定量PCR方法检测鼻咽癌患者血浆中游离的EBV/DNA是一种敏感可靠的方法,对于鼻咽癌早期诊断、鉴别诊断、分期、判断预后、监测治疗后复发和远处转移具有重要的临床意义,有可能成为鼻咽癌的血清肿瘤标记物.     

EB病毒感染与鼻咽癌诊治的研究进展

鼻咽癌（Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma,NPC）是指原发于鼻咽腔部的恶性肿瘤。EB病毒（Epstein-Barr Virus,EBV）感染与NPC有着密切关系。EBV感染人体后,可通过多种特异性病毒抗原介导NPC的发生发展。目前的研究显示,针对NPC高危人群进行的多种EBV抗体标志物的联合筛查,在NPC的预防、诊断及随访中有着重要意义。EBV相关的最新NPC免疫治疗方式,如病毒相关疫苗,过继性免疫治疗等都展示出了较好的疗效及应用潜力。对NPC患者血清中病毒抗原滴度及EBV DNA的定量检测,为其预后和生存率的判断有着一定的帮助。本文就EBV感染与NPC诊治及预后判断的最新研究进展作一综述。     

血浆EBV DNA监测鼻咽癌治疗疗效意义

目的 探讨血浆EBV DNA监测鼻咽癌治疗疗效的临床意义。方法 回顾分析2016-2017年间本院初诊的799例鼻咽癌根治性调强放疗患者的临床资料。分析疗前血浆EBV DNA与临床分期、肿瘤进展的相关性,比较放疗结束及随访中EBV DNA与肿瘤进展的关系。结果 疗前DNA表达水平与临床分期、肿瘤进展呈正相关(P<0.001)。放疗结束后6~8周,19例(2.3%)血浆EBV DNA持续阳性者预后最差,14例发生了肿瘤进展。9例放疗结束后6~8周转为EBV DNA阴性,3例肿瘤进展。而放疗结束EBV DNA阴性患者肿瘤进展率仅8.3%(64/772),3个组无肿瘤进展生存率不同(P<0.05)。随访中持续性血浆EBV DNA阳性,诊断肿瘤进展的敏感性、特异性、准确性分别为77.6%、100%、98.1%。结论 鼻咽癌患者疗前EBV DNA表达水平与肿瘤负荷和肿瘤进展相关,放疗结束6~8周EBV DNA持续阳性者预后极差,应给予合适的辅助治疗。随访中持续性血浆EBV DNA阳性诊断肿瘤进展的正确性高,是鼻咽癌根治性治疗后可靠的疗效监测指标。     

血浆EBV DNA监测鼻咽癌治疗疗效意义

目的 探讨血浆EBV DNA监测鼻咽癌治疗疗效的临床意义。方法 回顾分析2016-2017年间本院初诊的799例鼻咽癌根治性调强放疗患者的临床资料。分析疗前血浆EBV DNA与临床分期、肿瘤进展的相关性,比较放疗结束及随访中EBV DNA与肿瘤进展的关系。结果 疗前DNA表达水平与临床分期、肿瘤进展呈正相关(P<0.001)。放疗结束后6~8周,19例(2.3%)血浆EBV DNA持续阳性者预后最差,14例发生了肿瘤进展。9例放疗结束后6~8周转为EBV DNA阴性,3例肿瘤进展。而放疗结束EBV DNA阴性患者肿瘤进展率仅8.3%(64/772),3个组无肿瘤进展生存率不同(P<0.05)。随访中持续性血浆EBV DNA阳性,诊断肿瘤进展的敏感性、特异性、准确性分别为77.6%、100%、98.1%。结论 鼻咽癌患者疗前EBV DNA表达水平与肿瘤负荷和肿瘤进展相关,放疗结束6~8周EBV DNA持续阳性者预后极差,应给予合适的辅助治疗。随访中持续性血浆EBV DNA阳性诊断肿瘤进展的正确性高,是鼻咽癌根治性治疗后可靠的疗效监测指标。     

EBV相关肿瘤的发生机制及其免疫靶向治疗的研究进展

作为WHO宣布的Ⅰ类致癌物EBV,其与移植后淋巴组织增生性疾病、霍奇金淋巴瘤（HL）、伯基特淋巴瘤、鼻咽癌、 EBV相关性胃癌等恶性肿瘤的发生相关,且具有作为预后预测指标及治疗靶点的潜能。目前,EBV免疫靶向治疗研究取得了众 多进展,基于EBV疫苗的主动免疫疗法和直接输注EBV-CTL的过继免疫疗法均可激活EBV特异性免疫应答并改善患者生存, PD-1/PD-L1抑制剂和IDO抑制剂联合可通过增强免疫应答、减少免疫逃逸而在EBV相关肿瘤中发挥抗肿瘤作用。此外,某些去 甲基化及去乙酰化药物可靶向作用于EBV阳性肿瘤细胞,诱导EBV病毒基因裂解。未来有望通过靶向治疗及免疫治疗的联合 应用为EBV相关肿瘤患者赢得更好的预后。     

鼻咽癌免疫治疗的研究进展

鼻咽癌是一种来源于鼻咽黏膜的恶性肿瘤,由Epstein-Barr病毒（Epstein-Barr virus,EBV）感染、遗传、环境等多种因素所致。其恶性程度高,且易于复发和转移的特点,导致其治疗难度较大。放射治疗联合化疗目前是鼻咽癌的主要治疗模式,但是这种治疗模式复发率较高而且并发症较多。近几年鼻咽癌的免疫治疗发展迅速,取得了一些研究成果,并且其可以在不破坏机体免疫系统结构和功能的前提下发挥抗肿瘤作用,所以已经成为继手术、放疗、化疗之后的第四大炙手可热的抗肿瘤疗法。现综述近几年鼻咽癌免疫治疗的最新研究进展,为今后鼻咽癌免疫治疗相关的研究提供参考。     

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Beyond an era of chemoradiation?

Now is an exciting era of development in immunotherapy checkpoint inhibitors and their effect on the treatment of NPC. While the general prognosis of R/M disease is poor, immunotherapy offers some promise in a malignancy associated with EBV and characterized by a peritumoural immune infiltrate. Our study aims to review past and on-going clinical trials of monoclonal antibody therapies against the checkpoint inhibitors (e.g. PD1 and CTLA-4), in R/M NPC. All randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials involving immune checkpoint inhibitor interventions for treatment of NPC were included in the study. We utilized a validated “risk of bias” tool to assess study quality. Four separate Phase I–II trials report the potential of PD1 inhibitor treatment for patients with NPC. Within the observed groups, camrelizumab combined with chemotherapy achieved an objective response in 91% of patients as first-line treatment for metastatic NPC (PFS 68% at 1-year) but this was associated with a high rate of grade >3 adverse events (87%; CTCAE version 4.03). The remaining three studies focused on recurrent NPC disease in patients who had received at least one line of prior chemotherapy. Within this group, camrelizumab monotherapy achieved an objective response in 34% of patients (PFS 27% at 1-year; range across all three studies 20.5–34%). No NPC trial has yet reported on specific outcomes for non-PD1 checkpoint inhibitors but 11 on-going studies include alternative targets (e.g. PD-L1/CTLA-4) as combination or monotherapy treatments. In considering checkpoint immunotherapies for NPC, initial results show promise for anti-PD1 interventions. Further phase I–III trials are in progress to clarify clinical outcomes, fully determine safety profiles, and optimize drug combinations and administration schedules.     

The association between circulating tumor cells and Epstein-Barr virus activation in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and microemboli (CTM) are attracting increasing attention in medical biology and clinical practice. However, the clinical relevance of CTCs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has not yet been ascertained, and no study has focused on the influence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status on CTCs in NPC patients. These issues were therefore examined. Methods: Peripheral blood samples were prospectively obtained from 33 NPC patients before treatment. CTCs and CTM were captured using the Isolation by Size of Epithelial Tumor (ISET) method. Immunohistochemistry on CK5/6 (cytokeratin5/6) and P63, as well as in situ hybridization of EBERs (EBV-encoded RNAs) were used to validate the harvested tumor cells. Results: Out of 33 NPC patients, CTCs were detected in 22 cases (66.7%), and CTM were observed in 2 cases (6.1%). CTCs were presented in all stages of NPC patients but had no association with the TNM stages (all P > 0.05). The presence of CTCs appeared to correlate with EBV activation status. Among the total NPC patients, the EBV VCA-IgA levels in CTC-positive cases were higher than that in CTC-negative cases (negative vs. positive: 3.88 vs. 4.86, P = 0.016). A similar result was observed in the patients without distant metastasis (negative vs. positive: 3.76 vs. 4.95, P = 0.009). When the number of CTCs was considered, CTC counts were found to correlate with EBV VCA-IgA (R = 0.382, P = 0.041) and EBV DNA load (R = 0.396, P = 0.033) for all NPC patients as well as NPC patients without distant metastases. Conclusions: These findings strongly suggested detectable CTCs/CTM in all stages of NPC patients and support a positive correlation between CTCs and EBV activation in NPC patients.     

Adoptive immunotherapy for EBV-associated malignancies

Latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is associated with a diverse group of malignancies including Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and lymphoproliferative disease (LPD). EBV proteins expressed in these malignancies provide targets for the adoptive immunotherapy with antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and EBV-specific CTL have been used successfully for the prophylaxis and treatment of EBV-LPD post hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The clinical experience with EBV-specific CTL for other EBV-associated malignancies such as Hodgkin's disease and NPC is limited and the results obtained so far indicate that EBV-specific CTL are less effective than for EBV-LPD post HSCT. Decreased CTL efficacy most likely reflect immune evasion strategies by tumor cells such as down regulation of immunodominant EBV proteins and secretion of inhibitory cytokines. To overcome these immune evasion strategies a number of approaches have been developed including targeting CTL to subdominant EBV antigens and genetically modifying CTL to increase their potency.     

Quantification of Epstein–Barr virus DNA load in nasopharyngeal brushing samples in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in southern China

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is highly incident in southern China, where 40% of world's new cases arise each year. Detection of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) DNA load in nasopharyngeal (NP) brush/swab samples has gradually been established as a method for diagnosis of NPC. However, its applicable value in NPC diagnosis has never been investigated in southern China. It is important to explore whether such a test could be applicable to our local population. A total of 245 consecutive participants undergoing NP brushing examination were recruited to obtain the NP brushing samples in this study. Quantitative PCR assays were used to obtain the EBV DNA load. Mann–Whitney, ANOVA and receiver operating characteristic tests were used to analyze its diagnostic value. NP brushing samples from NPC patients showed extremely high levels of EBV DNA load (mean = 46360 copy/ng DNA) compared to its expression from non‐NPC control (mean = 28 copy/ng DNA) and high‐risk control (mean = 50 copy/ng DNA) groups. It produced 96% sensitivity and 97% specificity, at the COV = 225 copy/ng DNA. Furthermore, EBV DNA load could reflect disease progress. Our data showed a better performance of EBV DNA load in NP brushing samples compared with an initial biopsy, immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibody titers to viral capsid antigen in serum and EBV DNA load in plasma. Detection of EBV DNA load in NP brushing samples could be an effective supplement for NPC diagnosis. Being minimally invasive and low cost, NP brush sampling combined with EBV DNA detection demonstrates great potential for screening high‐risk populations for NPC.     

Effective treatment of metastatic forms of Epstein-Barr virus-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma with a novel adenovirus-based adoptive immunotherapy

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is endemic in China and Southeast Asia where it is tightly associated with infections by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The role of tumor-associated viral antigens in NPC renders it an appealing candidate for cellular immunotherapy. In earlier preclinical studies, a novel adenoviral vector-based vaccine termed AdE1-LMPpoly has been generated that encodes EBV nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA1) fused to multiple CD8(+) T-cell epitopes from the EBV latent membrane proteins, LMP1 and LMP2. Here, we report the findings of a formal clinical assessment of AdE1-LMPpoly as an immunotherapeutic tool for EBV-associated recurrent and metastatic NPC. From a total of 24 patients with NPC, EBV-specific T cells were successfully expanded from 16 patients with NPC (72.7%), whereas six patients with NPC (27.3%) showed minimal or no expansion of virus-specific T cells. Transient increase in the frequencies of LMP1&2- and EBNA1-specific T-cell responses was observed after adoptive transfer to be associated with grade I flu-like symptoms and malaise. The time to progression in these patients ranged from 38 to 420 days with a mean time to progression of 136 days. Compared with patients who did not receive T cells, the median overall survival increased from 220 to 523 days. Taken together, our findings show that adoptive immunotherapy with AdE1-LMPpoly vaccine is safe and well tolerated and may offer clinical benefit to patients with NPC.     

Adoptive transfer of allogeneic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific cytotoxic T cells with in vitro antitumor activity boosts LMP2-specific immune response in a patient with EBV-related nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The outcome of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) presenting as advanced-stage disease or failing conventional radio-chemotherapy is poor. Thus, additional forms of effective, low-toxicity treatment are warranted to improve NPC prognosis. Since NPC is almost universally associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cellular immunotherapy with EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) may prove a successful treatment strategy. Patient and methods A patient with relapsed NPC, refractory to conventional treatments, received salvage adoptive immunotherapy with EBV-specific CTLs reactivated ex vivo from a human leukocyte antigen-identical sibling. EBV-specific immunity, as well as T-cell repertoire in the tumor, before and after immunotherapy, was evaluated. RESULTS: CTL transfer was well tolerated, and a temporary stabilization of disease was obtained. Moreover, notwithstanding the short in-vivo duration of allogeneic CTLs, immunotherapy induced a marked increase of endogenous tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes, and a long-term increase of latent membrane protein 2-specific immunity. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary data obtained in this patient indicate that EBV-specific CTLs are safe, may exert specific killing of NPC tumor cells in vitro, and induce antitumor effect in vivo.     

Expression of the Epstein-Barr virus genome in a nasopharyngeal carcinoma epithelial tumor cell line

An epithelial tumor cell line was recently established from a biopsy specimen of a nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and designated HONE-I. Uncloned (parental) HONE-I and HONE-I clone (C)-40 cells were found to contain latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Expression of the latent EBV genome in HONE-I C-40 cells has been examined. It was possible to detect a small percentage of cells spontaneously synthesizing EBV early antigen (EA) and virus capsid antigen (VCA) by immunofluorescence (IF). In addition, the EBV nuclear antigens (EBNA-I and EBNA-2), as well as the EBV latent membrane protein (LMP) were detected in the HONE-I cells. Attempts were made to induce the latent EBV genome in these cells with iododeoxyuridine (IUdR). We observed a significant increase in the number of EA/VCA-positive cells, an increase in EBV DNA, the synthesis of virus particles, and the rescue of infectious virus after treatment of HONE-I C-40 cells with IUdR. The HONE-I C-40 cells should facilitate studies of the expression and regulation of the EBV genome in NPC epithelial tumor cells, which have not previously been available.     

Les cancers du cavum juvéniles : aspects anatomocliniques,biologiques, thérapeutiques et évolutifs

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) represents one of the most frequent epithelial tumours of the child in intermediate risk regions. In the Maghreb, it represents the first cancer of teenagers of 15-20 years old. The Epstein Barr virus (EBV) is the most important etiologic factor. Its role in the pathogeneses of NPC has been confirmed by several studies. Young NPCs are characterized by a low rate of EBV antibodies and a high level of LMP1 cell expression than in adult’s NPC. The undifferentiated carcinoma nasopharyngeal type (UCNT) represents the most frequent histological type. Immunohistochimical analyses of North Africa early onset NPC is characterized by a weak expression of bcl-2 and p53 and a strong expression of LMP1 and c-kit what makes them different from the adult’s NPC. Clinically, cervical node involvement is constantly present. Juvenile NPC is characterized by a very important locoregional extension as well as a high rate of distant metastases. More than 15% of patients had metastases at diagnosis. Radiotherapy is still the standard therapy of NPC. Only some retrospectives studies have been published to determine the benefit, the type and the timing of the chemotherapy in the treatment of juvenile NPC. Metastatic relapses constitute the main cause of death at these youngpatients. An improvement of the prognosis canbewaited with concomitant chemotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy. However, randomized multi institutional studies are necessary to standardize the treatment of the NPC in childhood.