Spring is the peak time for physical examinations for many organizations, and the annual physical examinations become a way for people to know about their whole body health status.
EBV positive is nasopharyngeal cancer?
Mr. Tu, 40, previously experienced tinnitus and headache from time to time, and he always thought it was because he worked too hard and did not pay attention to it. After his unit organized physical examination this year, he tested positive for EBV antibodies and later confirmed to have nasopharyngeal cancer under endoscopy.
In fact, many people also have positive EBV antibody tests during physical examinations, but most people do not find abnormalities during endoscopy. Director Li explained that EBV is not a marker for tumors. In patients with nasopharyngeal cancer, more than 90 percent test positive for EBV. However, in turn, a significant portion of those who are EBV positive are simply the result of inflammation in the nasopharynx.
If a positive EBV antibody test is found during a health checkup, first go to an otolaryngologist for a nasopharyngeal endoscopy, and if the nasopharyngeal mucosa is normal, repeat the EBV antibody test in three months. If the test is positive and negative, there is no need to worry. However, if the test continues to be positive, then VCA/IgA (shell antigen antibody), EA/IgA (early antigen antibody), and EBNA/ IgA (nuclear antigen antibody) should be considered. The presence of VCA/lgA ≥ 1:80, or positive for any two of the three indicators, or a persistent elevation in any one of them, can be considered a high-risk candidate for nasopharyngeal cancer.
Patients need to undergo nasopharyngeal CT or both nasopharyngeal CT and MRI to confirm the diagnosis, and if necessary, multi-point biopsy can be taken under nasal endoscopy.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 40% of nasopharyngeal cancers worldwide occur in southern China. In recent years, the incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer has also increased in Zhejiang, especially in coastal areas, which is related to the large amount of salted fish or other pickled products used by local people. In addition, of course, there are genetic factors, viral infections (EBV), smoking, and environmental factors.
Nasopharyngeal cancer may not have typical symptoms in the early stage, but if there is tinnitus, stuffy ears or blood in sputum or nosebleeds after nasal aspiration, and some people will show migraine, facial numbness, unilateral nasal congestion, neck lumps, all these symptoms should be alerted to the occurrence of nasopharyngeal cancer.
As nasopharyngeal cancer is sensitive to radiation, radiation therapy is a recognized and effective radical treatment.
Finally, it is recommended that we should quit smoking as early as possible, pay attention to less pickled food in our diet, and exercise more in general to enhance physical fitness.