No Epstein Barr and cytomegalovirus DNA found in salivary gland tumours.

A series of 219 (106 malignant and 113 benign) salivary gland tumours was investigated by in situ hybridisation (ISH) to detect Epstein-Barr-virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA. Normal salivary gland did not show hybridisation signals for these viruses. Tumours presenting hybridisation signals in ductal and myoepithelial cells and 17 Warthin's tumours were further studied by PCR, but none of these tumours contained EBV or CMV DNA. Our series did not contain lymphoepithelial carcinomas, which are EBV-associated tumours. The results suggest that factors other than EBV or CMV are involved in carcinogenesis of primary salivary gland tumours.