An analysis of the efficacy of serial screening for familial nasopharyngeal carcinoma based on Markov chain models.

Treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) can be improved by early detection of the disease as treatment outcome worsens with disease's progression. This can be achieved with a mass screening program using Epstein Barr virus (EBV) serology and nasopharyngoscopy. The efficacy of any screening strategy should be evaluated before putting it into practice.

Outcomes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma screening for high risk family members in Hong Kong.

We undertook a large retrospective study to evaluate the impact of screening family members of NPC patients with Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) serology. 1,199 asymptomatic family members of NPC patients were entered into the annual screening program with EBV serology and nasopharyngoscopy between 1994 and 2005. Eighteen participants of our screening program developed NPC; 17 of them were treated in our institute, of whom 16 were detected in screening.