Circulating Epstein-Barr virus DNA and cell-free DNA in pediatric lymphomas

Abstract

Tumor-derived DNA is elevated in the serum of patients with cancer. The quantification of circulating Epstein Barr virus (EBV) DNA is reported to have an important role in the diagnosis and management of EBV-associated lymphoid malignancies. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Circulating cellfree total DNA (cf-DNA) has been studied in a wide range of physiological and pathological conditions, including pregnancy, trauma, inflammatory disorders and malignancies. 7,8 Elevated levels of cf-DNA have been reported in many tumour types including pediatric cancers. [8][9][10][11] Both serum EBV DNA and/or cf-DNA may become valuable sources for prognosis evaluation in pediatric lymphomas

Hodgkin lymphoma and liquid biopsy: a story to be told

“…In an additional study, the authors evaluated the capacity of EBV and/or cfDNA detection and quantification in blood to provide insights into prognosis and treatment response. In concordance with the previous studies, cfDNA was elevated in cHL compared to controls [ 59 ]. Recently, there has been an exploration of the associations between PET/CT parameters and ctDNA in HL.…”

“…As previously mentioned, various studies have investigated total cfDNA levels in patients with cHL, particularly at pre-treatment stages, revealing associations with advanced disease stages, unfavorable outcomes, and treatment failures, among other factors [ 54 , 57 , 58 ]. Some investigations have delved into the correlation between fluctuations in total cfDNA levels during therapy and subsequent treatment responses [ 58 , 59 ]. It is crucial to emphasize that further extensive studies, encompassing larger cohorts, are imperative to validate these findings.…”

Effects of Epstein-Barr Virus Infection on the Risk and Prognosis of Primary Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in Taiwan

“…Circulating EBV DNA is a robust biomarker for EBV-associated NPC [49] and lymphoma [50]. EBV VCA IgA positivity indicates previous repeated EBV infections or frequent reactivation of latent EBV in B cells [51].…”