Relationship between the Epstein‐Barr virus genome and nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Caucasian patients

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Abstract
In order to explore whether undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) shows a regular association with Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV), regardless of the geographical and ethnic origin of the patient, a correlated histopathological and nucleic acid hybridization study was performed on biopsies from Caucasian patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas and from various controls. Among 12 undifferentiated NPCs, 11 were positive for EBV‐DNA, with multiple copies of the viral genome per cell. Serological tests showed elevated anti‐VCA and anti‐EA (DA) titers. Six NPCs with various degrees of squamous differentiation, four malignant lymphomas of the nasopharynx and seven carcinomas located outside the nasopharynx were EBV‐DNA negative. These findings further stress the uniqueness and regularity of the association between EBV‐DNA and undifferentiated NPC. Clearly, the association extends over geographical barriers and holds true not only in the previously studied, moderate‐incidence African ethnic group, but also in the low‐incidence Western patients.