A novel application of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid level of epstein barr virus DNA in the diagnosis of leptomeningeal metastasis from nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A case report.

Epstein Barr virus (EBV)-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is endemic in Southeast Asia, and the plasma level of EBV DNA is a highly sensitive marker of disease recurrence following radiotherapy. Leptomeningeal recurrence from NPC is extremely rare and difficult to diagnose; only 4 cases have been reported in the literature. We report a case of leptomeningeal recurrence in NPC that was diagnosed using imaging and plasma and cerebrospinal fluid EBV DNA assays, followed by a review of the literature. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.