A comprehensive whole-genome analysis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection is recognised as one of the causative agents in most nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cases. Yet, the interplay between EBV infection and acquired genetic alterations during NPC development remains vague. This study established a comprehensive whole-genomic analysis of 70 NPC cases. The result showed that impairing TGFBR2 gene can stabilise EBV infection in tumour cells and this finding suggested that NPC is a potentially druggable cancer. The current study could be served as a useful reference for future precision therapy trials. (Nat Commun. 2021 Jul 7;12(1):4193. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24348-6.)

Anyone interested in future collaboration in this field of research, you are welcome to contact our key investigator Prof. Kwok-Wai LO from the Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, CUHK. Prof. Lo’s research focuses on molecular genetics of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, NPC genomics, roles of EBV in NPC tumorigenesis, new therapeutic approaches for NPC, tumour microenvironment and cancer stem-like cells in NPC.