Epstein-Barr virus-targeted immunotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is constantly present in undifferentiated and poorly-differentiated nasopharyngeal cancer. Thus, tumour-associated viral antigens are potential targets for immunotherapy. Recently, both preclinical and early clinical studies have shown that various strategies can enhance EBV-specific immunity. Moreover, significant anti-tumour effect has been observed, and was generally correlated with biological response. The present review discusses the rational for EBV-targeted immunotherapy and summarises the latest developments in this area.