Research progress on EBV-associated NK/T cell lymphoma

<p indent="0mm">NK/T cell lymphoma (natural killer/T-cell lymphoma, NKTCL) is a rare and highly invasive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, with a high incidence rate in Asia and Latin America. In recent years, the application of high-throughput sequencing technology has revealed the biological basis of NKTCL heterogeneity and the molecular pathogenic mechanisms, including the silencing of tumor suppressor gene caused by deletion of chromosome 6q21 allele, abnormal activation of several carcinogenic signal pathways due to EBV infection and somatic gene mutation, and abnormal epigenetic regulation. At present, there is no unified treatment standard for NKTCL. In the early stage, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the main comprehensive treatment, while chemotherapy alone is the main option for the late stage. The prognosis of advanced and relapsed refractory patients is poor, and it is urgent to explore more effective treatment options. With the accelerated evolution of global new drug development, various new drugs against NKTCL are constantly emerging. This review summarizes the research progress in EBV-associated NK/T cell lymphoma.