Oral lymphomas in HIV-infected patients: association with Epstein-Barr virus DNA

Nine instances of oral non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occurring in homosexual male patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus were evaluated for clinical features, histopathologic features, lymphocyte phenotypic markers, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA. Histologically, the tumors represented immunoblastic sarcoma and small noncleaved cell lymphomas, some manifesting Burkitt-like features. Five cases exhibited positive staining with monoclonal antibody L26, a B-cell marker; none of the tumors showed evidence of a T-cell lineage with the use of monoclonal antibody UCHL 1. DNA in situ hybridization studies disclosed the presence of EBV DNA sequences in seven instances. These findings indicate that most oral lymphomas among patients with AIDS, similar to extraoral lymphomas in this population, are of B-cell lineage and harbor EBV DNA.