Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNA 1 (EBER-1) could predict good prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Clin Transl Oncol. 2016 Feb;18(2):206-11. doi: 10.1007/s12094-015-1354-3. Epub 2015 Aug 11.

Abstract

Purpose: EBER-1 (a non-coding RNA transcribed by EBV) expression was detected in most of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. However, the relevance between EBER-1 expression and NPC clinical outcome has not been reported. This study aims to assess the possible correlations of EBER-1 expression and clinical parameters and its potential prognostic predictive ability in NPC patient's outcomes.

Methods: We examined EBER-1 mRNA expression in 301 NPC and 130 non-NPC tissues using in situ hybridization and did statistics.

Results: EBER-1 expression was up-regulated in NPC tissues when compared to non-NPC tissues. A receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that EBER-1 expression could distinguish non-cancerous patients from NPC patients (p < 0.001, sensitivity: 72.5 %, specificity: 83.5 %, AUC = 0.815). A survival analysis revealed that patients with high levels of EBER-1 expression had a significantly good prognosis (Disease-free survival: p = 0.019, overall survival: p = 0.006).

Conclusion: These results indicated that EBER-1 expression is a potential prognosis factor of NPC and highly negative correlated with the progress of NPC.

Keywords: EBV-encoded small RNA 1 (EBER-1); Epstein–Barr virus (EBV); Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC); Prognosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Area Under Curve
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Carcinoma
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / complications
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / virology*
  • Prognosis
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • RNA, Viral / biosynthesis*
  • ROC Curve
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tissue Array Analysis
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA 1
  • RNA, Viral