THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CARCINOMA OF THE TONSIL AND EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS - A STUDY USING RADIOLABELED IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION

We reviewed 30 cases of carcinoma of the tonsil and classified them as squamous cell carcinoma, non-keratinizing differentiated carcinoma an d non-keratinizing undifferentiated carcinoma. Five cases of non-kerat inizing undifferentiated carcinoma were identified, and these, togethe r with 5 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, were studied for the presen ce of Epstein-Barr virus by in situ hybridization using early RNA (EBE Rs) as probes. All cases of squamous cell carcinoma were negative for EBER and only one of the 5 cases of non-keratinizing undifferentiated carcinoma was positive. As a positive control we used a case of a prim ary nasopharyngeal carcinoma with extension to the tonsil. Though the tonsil and nasopharynx share similar anatomical and immunological feat ures, we conclude that in the majority of cases EBV is not demonstrabl e in tonsillar carcinomas.