Epstein-Barr Virus Detected in a Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Line Derived From an Immunocompromised Patient

Abstract

Although EBV may not be a major cofactor contributing to the proliferation of SCCHN, the limited initial evidence suggests that EBV may be involved in development of SCCHN in immunosuppressed patients.

Secondary head and neck cancer in patients with history of hematological malignancy

“…Isolation of HPV in oral squamous cell carcinoma after BMT had been reported, and some authors postulated that the reactivation of HPV in these immunocompromised recipients contributed to the development of cancers 14, 15. Although compared to HPV, EBV has been less studied, there have been reports of detection of Epstein‐Barr encoded RNA (EBER) expression by in situ hybridization or EBV DNA in head and neck cancer specimens, especially in hypopharyngeal cancers and immunocompromised patients 16, 17. We, regrettably, were unable to obtain the paraffin block of the resection specimens in this cohort to investigate further on the presence of HPV and EBV in the cancer cells.…”

Sequential occurrence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and carcinoma in the nasopharynx

“…The EBV latent proteins are important in mediating transformation and promoting oncogenesis. [ 6 ] The underlying pathogenesis for EBV-related cancers has not been completely defined, but appears to be mediated through activation of various cell signaling pathways by EBV nuclear antigens and latent membrane proteins. Indeed, an association has been found between the malignancies and the different types of latent EBV expression profiles in which they develop.…”

“…NPC presents as an epithelial cancer with histology that ranges from well-differentiated to undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma, and includes both keratinizing and nonkeratinizing forms. [ 6 , 11 ] The disease is rare in the United States and Europe, but is endemic to parts of China and elsewhere in Asia. [ 5 ] The undifferentiated variant of NPC is universally associated with EBV infection, [ 3 ] viral genomes within the tumor are clonal and exhibit EBV gene products typical of a type II latency pattern.…”

Cervical ganglioneuroma in collision with a metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma

“…In fact, Kamel et al ,[ 15 ] reported a 38% correlation between EBV and head neck squamous cell carcinomas, while other reports showed a rare association. [ 16 ] The clinical relevance of a collision tumor versus a unifying lesion is reflected by the tumor stage, whereby upstaging of the tumor occurs if one considers lymph node metastasis as the mechanism of tumor spread. Therefore, close follow-up with serial PET scans and alternative-imaging modalities is indicated.…”