Resumen
The post-radiotherapy (RT) clearance of tumor-derived plasma EBV DNA is associated with a better prognosis in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). T cells may play a critical role in the clearance of plasma EBV DNA in NPC. We explored the dynamic changes in circulating T-cell profiles during RT and observed that a temporal increase in the frequency of CD8+ T cells expressing CCR1, 4 and/or 5 was associated with plasma EBV DNA clearance. Moreover, differences in the plasma levels of the corresponding chemo-attractants are related to clinical outcome. Our study demonstrated correlation between plasma EBV DNA clearance post-RT and T-cell chemotaxis, which requires validation in larger cohorts. Markers of T-cell chemotaxis may be prognostic biomarkers in patients with NPC undergoing RT.