Epstein-Barr virus infection and nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinomas are among the Epstein-Barr virus infection associated neoplasia. The disease is known to have a geographic distribution but the incidence of the infection in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases from Turkey is not known. The aim of the present study is to characterize the nasopharyngeal carcinomas in Aegean region and document Epstein-Barr virus infection by serology, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Biopsy samples of 27 patients with nasopharyngeal0 carcinomas were stained for latent membrane protein 1 by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA was performed. Serologic examination for IgA Epstein-Barr/viral capsid antigen was performed in 6 patients at presentation and 1 year later when the patients were in remission. Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA was detected in 13 (48%) cases, latent membrane protein-1 was positive in 7 of 27 (26%) cases. Two cases were IgA Epstein-Barr virus/viral capsid antigen positive at presentation, but negative during follow up. IgA Epstein-Barr virus/viral capsid antigen and latent membrane protein-1 positive cases were all positive for Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA. These results suggests that Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA-in situ hybridization is the most sensitive among the three methods. According to our results the incidence of Epstein-Barr virus infection in nasopharyngeal carcinomas in Turkey seems less compared to far east countries. [Turk J Cancer 1997;27(1):5-12]