Advances in the Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

In recent years there have been several developments in the field of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), including major advances in the pathogenesis, prognosis, and therapy. For example, there have been several studies exploring the molecular landscape of NPC that have identified crucial genomic changes that stimulate the development and progression of the disease; mechanisms underlying EBV infection and NPC development were further revealed, and plasma EBV DNA detection has been demonstrated to be useful for NPC screening. Biomarkers such as EBV DNA, DNA methylation, miRNAs, and mRNAs also have demonstrated their prognostic value and potential clinical applications. More uplifting is the optimization of combined chemoradiotherapy, whereby induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy may gain more benefits in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy era. Additionally, anti–PD-1 antibodies have shown promising anti-tumor activity and predictable safety profile in NPC as well. Still, more novel research is needed to further advance the development of our understanding of NPC.

This Research Topic will provide high-quality evidence regarding the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, thus helping identify the required knowledge, tools, and therapies for advancing the management of NPC to the next level. We welcome Original Research, Review, Clinical Trial and Case Report articles describing, but not limited to, the following areas:

1. EBV infection and pathogenesis of NPC
2. Genomic studies of NPC
3. Prognostic and/or predictive factors for NPC
4. Improvements of AJCC/UICC clinical staging for NPC
5. Applications of artificial intelligence and/or radiomics in NPC
6. Combined chemoradiotherapy strategies in NPC
7. Tailoring immunotherapy for NPC