OBJECTIVETo explore the common dysregulated genes and pathways shared by two sets of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) biopsy samples collected from different regions.

METHODSUsing bioinformatics analysis, the dysregulated genes and pathways in the two sets of samples were compared, and the relationship between the common dysregulated functions and genes was explored.

RESULTSThe common up-regulated genes in the two sets of samples were involved with such cell functions as cell cycle regulation, cell proliferation, DNA damage and repair, cell adhesion and migration, cell metabolism, and protein binding, but their common down-regulated genes did not show functional clustering. Those common dysregulated gene functions shown by differential gene expression profiling were not completely dictated by identical genes. The top 4 of the 10 common dysregulated pathways included leukocyte transendothelial migration, cell adhesion molecules, adherens junction, and phosphatidylinositol signaling system.

CONCLUSIONSThe differentially expressed genes in NPC are mainly related to cell cycle regulation, DNA damage and repair, cell adhesion and migration, a finding supporting the primary choice of chemotherapy in clinical treatment. The 4 most distinct common dysregulated pathways in the NPC samples are associated with tumor adhesion and migration, and by interventions of these pathways, especially the phosphatidylinositol signaling system in tumorigenesis, adhesion and migration, improvements in the therapeutic effect and prognosis of NPC can be expected.