Valproic Acid in the Induction of EBV Lytic Cycle Antigen Expression in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Inclusion Criteria:

All subjects must fulfill the following criteria to be eligible for study admission:

• Subjects are of age 18 years and above
• Biopsy proven nasopharyngeal carcinoma - WHO type 3
• Must have tumor which is accessible to biopsy
• For patients with disease localized to the PNS, the lesion must be visualized by endoscopy
• Subjects with metastatic disease with disease accessible to biopsy in the PNS if they are deemed by their treating physicians not to require treatment for at least two weeks.
• An ECOG performance status of 0-2
• For sexually active women of child-bearing potential, negative pregnancy test within 14 days of enrolling on trial
• Must be able to give informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• For patients with localized NPC, PNS lesions that cannot be visualized by endoscopy
• Patients with disease inaccessible to biopsy
• History of anaphylaxis after exposure to valproic acid
• Hepatic dysfunction as defined by total bilirubin 1.0x upper limit of normal. AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) 3x upper limit of normal
• Hemoglobin 8g/dl, Absolute neutrophil count 1500 cells/mm, and Platelet count 100,000 /mm
• Creatinine 3x upper limit of normal
• PT/PTT blood test result not within normal range
• Patients who require treatment with an anticonvulsant besides valproic acid during the course of valproate prescribed by the protocol
• ECOG Performance status 3-4
• Patients who are pregnant or breast feeding (Sexually active women of childbearing potential must use contraception during course of therapy and within 4 weeks of completion of trial)
• Participation in another clinical trial involving therapeutic intervention within 4 weeks of enrollment.