Emerging Biomarkers and Biotherapies for EBV-Associated Cancers

Abstract

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic human gammaherpesvirus that is prevalent worldwide. Although over 95% of the world’s population harbors this pathogen, the vast majority of infections are asymptomatic, largely due to immune system involvement. However, in certain situations, such as when individuals are immunocompromised, the immune system can lose control of EBV suppression, leading to oncogenesis. While standard chemotherapeutic regimens can be effective against some EBV-associated cancers, these treatments can be toxic to some patients, and disease relapse and/or drug resistance can develop. Additionally, no human vaccine currently exists for EBV. In recent years, biotherapy has become a promising avenue for the clinical management of EBV-positive cancers. As early detection is often correlated with a more positive prognosis, identification of reliable EBV biomarkers has also come into focus. In this review, we summarize advancements made over the last five years in immunotherapy use for EBV-positive cancers and in EBV biomarker identification to detect both EBV infection and biotherapy response.