A breakthrough! A DNA test looking for EBV (Epstein Barr virus) in the blood can detect with 100% sensitivity and specificity a diagnosis of nasopharyngeal cancer. EBV is also known as herpesvirus 4 – the culprit in infectious ‘mono’. In China where 35 of 100,000 people develop this cancer a recent investigational study of 20,000 people identified individuals before they developed a visual painless neck mass. A simple blood test – liquid biopsy can make all the difference as by the time a mass can be seen the disease is already at Stage II (spread to right or left sides of throat and lymph node(s) or III (spread further to sinus and bones nearby).
FYI: In US incidence is 1/100,000
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