Novel Therapies Boosting T Cell Immunity in Epstein Barr Virus-Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

• Published in: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Main Authors: Renaud, Sarah, Lefebvre, Anthony, Mordon, Serge, Morales, Olivier, Delhem, Nadira
• Other Authors: Thérapies Assistées par Lasers et Immunothérapies pour l'Oncologie - U 1189 (OncoThAI), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université de Lille-Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire CHU Lille (CHRU Lille), Institut de biologie de Lille - UMS 3702 (IBL), Institut Pasteur de Lille, Pasteur Network (Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur)-Pasteur Network (Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur)-Université de Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université de Lille
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: CCSD 2020
• Subjects: therapy; T cell; immunity; EBV; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; [SDV.CAN]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Cancer; [SDV.IMM.IMM]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Immunology/Immunotherapy; Greenland
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-02875212; https://hal.science/hal-02875212v2/document; https://hal.science/hal-02875212v2/file/Novel%20Therapies%20Boosting%20T%20Cell%20Immunity%20in%20Epstein%20Barr%20Virus-Associated%20Nasopharyngeal%20Carcinoma%20%281%29.pdf; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21124292

International audience Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumour of the head and neck affecting localised regions of the world, with the highest rates described in Southeast Asia, Northern Africa, and Greenland. Its high morbidity rate is linked to both late-stage diagnosis and unresponsiveness to conventional anti-cancer treatments. Multiple aetiological factors have been described including environmental factors, genetics, and viral factors (Epstein Barr Virus, EBV), making NPC treatment that much more complex. The most common forms of NPCs are those that originate from the epithelial tissue lining the nasopharynx and are often linked to EBV infection. Indeed, they represent 75-95% of NPCs in the low-risk populations and almost 100% of NPCs in high-risk populations. Although conventional surgery has been improved with nasopharyngectomy's being carried out using more sophisticated surgical equipment for better tumour resection, recent findings in the tumour microenvironment have led to novel treatment options including immunotherapies and photodynamic therapy, able to target the tumour and improve the immune system. This review provides an update on the disease's aetiology and the future of NPC treatments with a focus on therapies activating T cell immunity.