Association of some supraglottic laryngeal carcinomas with EB virus.

Thin sections of biopsies from five patients with supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma who possessed antibody to early antigen of EB virus were examined for the presence of EB virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) and EB virus DNA by cytological hybridization in situ. Both EBNA and EB virus DNA were found in the tumour cells of three of the patients. The present findings suggest an association between EB virus and supraglottic carcinoma of the larynx.