[Detection of Epstein-Barr virus gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma with neck lymphatic metastasis].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the presence of Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) gene in neck lymphatic metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

METHODS

Fifty patients' masses in the neck were punctured and the fluids were analyzed with PCR for EBV DNA.

RESULTS

Twenty seven cases showed EBV DNA positive among thirty cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with neck lymphatic metastasis, and the positive rate was 90%. One case was EBV DNA positive in seven cases of malignant lymphoma and the positive rate was 14.3%. One case was EBV DNA positive in eight tumor patients without NPC metastasis and the positive rate was 12.5%. Five cases with nasopharyngeal inflammation and neck lymphatic node proliferation were demonstrated to be EBV DNA negative.

CONCLUSION

This technique is rapid, sensitive and specific, which is valuable clinically, especially for the diagnosis in patients with cryptic nasopharyngeal carcinoma and with neck metastasis but lack of clear original focus.