Lymphocyte Apoptosis and Nasopharyngeal Cancer Genesis

Résumé du livre

The pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is believed to be multifactorial viz., genetic, viral and environmental factors. Undifferentiated NPC has been termed 'Iymphoepithelioma' because of the characteristic rich infiltrate of lynphoid cells present at the tumor sites. In this ultrastructural study, the tumor cell killing effect of lymphocytes is demonstrated. Attention is also drawn to the presence of apoptotic lymphocytes which infers downregulation of the immune response thereby promoting the genesis of NPC. A proposal that the Epstein Barr virus (which has been found to be present in all undifferentiated NPC) was responsible for the lymphocyte apoptosis is made. [Authors'a abstract].