OBJECTIVETo explore the characteristic of genetic epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in a high risk area Guangdong province, China.

METHODSPopulation investigation was made on the nuclear pedigrees of the first patient with NPC and his/her spouse, and then complex segregation analysis was performed using regressive Logistic model.

RESULTSThe risk of suffering from NPC is 9.31 times higher in the first degree relatives of patient with NPC than in the first degree relatives of spouse. The separation ratio and heritability are 0.0588 (0.0182, 0.0994) and 68.08% respectively. The result of complex segregation analysis shows that model D is better than model A.

CONCLUSIONThe genetic trend and familial clustering of NPC are more significant and powerful in Guangdong. The risk of suffering from NPC is related with parent's state and senior sibling's state. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a multi-gene hereditary disease, but a single gene that decides the susceptibility to NPC may be present.