Histological types of nasopharyngeal carcinoma as compared to EBV serology.

One hundred and thirteen cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were classified histologically according to the WHO-, French and Cologne systems. The various histological tumor types were then correlated with data on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology (EA, VCA, EBNA, CF, IgA-VCA). The results showed non-keratinizing carcinomas with lymphoid infiltration, and undifferentiated carcinomas to be associated with significantly elevated anti-EBV titers. These two tumor types can be easily grouped together according to the French classification scheme as "undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharyngeal type (UCNT)". Such a procedure, which may have therapeutic implication, simplifies the rapid diagnostic screening of NPC patients and also may enhance the reproducibility of histological tumor typing.