Figure 2.

Mechanisms involving in radioresistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A network of signaling pathways participate in the EMT process, cancer stem cell formation/phenotype as well as radiotherapy resistance. Besides, multiple genes can interact with signaling pathways to regulate radiosensitivity, and their encoding proteins can act as potential biomarkers for predicting the reaction for radiotherapy. Epigenetics can regulate radioresistance of NPC as well. Moreover, it cannot be ignored for the roles of EBV products contributing to the aggressiveness and radioresistance of NPC, along with its roles in regulating microenvironment. Stress granules formation also participates in the radioresistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.