Impaired Long‐term T Cell Immunity to Epstein‐Barr Virus in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Abstract

The long‐term T cell immunity to Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) is considered to play an important role in suppressing proliferation of EBV‐infected B cells and outgrowth of EBV‐associated tumors. It can be manifested and quantified by the EBV‐induced focus regression assay. In the present study, we examined the strength of T cell immunity to EBV in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and other cancers originating from the head and neck region. In contrast to patients with other types of cancers, including EBV‐negative NPC, patients with EBV‐positive NPC were found to have a profound impairment in the long‐term T cell immunity to EBV.