Epstein-Barr virus and cancers of the head and neck

Denis Burkitt pioneered the association of viruses and cancer in humans with his observations of lymphomatous tumors in children in equatorial Africa. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a human B lymphotrophic herpes virus, is strongly associated with undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharynx and African-type Burkitt's lymphoma. More recently, an association of this virus with other epithelial neoplasms, lymphomas, and immunodeficiency-related malignant and nonmalignant conditions has been reported. Since many of these tumors are rare, much of the information is based on sporadic reports and relatively small series of patients. The purpose of this report is to review the literature and examine the growing association of EBV with various head and neck malignancies.