Epstein Barr virus in carcinoma of the cervix.

A group of young patients with invasive carcinoma of the cervix and an age-matched control group were investigated for the presence of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) DNA in cervical biopsies using the polymerase chain reaction. The carcinoma group was further analyzed to evaluate possible associations between the presence of EBV and other prognostic parameters, such as stage, lymph node involvement, and histological tumor type. EBV DNA was found in 20 of 40 (50%) of the carcinoma samples and in 20 of 39 (51%) of the cervical tissues in the control group (p > 0.5). No statistically significant relationship could be noted between the presence or absence of EBV DNA and the effects of other prognostic parameters. In comparison with other studies using similar techniques, this study documented a higher percentage of positive EBV cases in both normal and carcinoma cervical samples. In both groups there was a similar number of positive cases. These results suggest that theories on the possible role played by EBV in the pathogenesis of cervical carcinoma may need to be reconsidered.