Molecular Detection of Epstein - Barr virus in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma among Sudanese population

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common cancer arising from the nasopharynx that varies significantly from other cancers of the head and neck in its occurrence, causes, clinical behavior, and treatment. NPC caused by an interaction between infection with EBV and environmental and genetic factors, encompasses a multistep oncogenic process. The frequency of Epstein-Barr virus EBV among nasopharyngeal carcinoma is well known worldwide, however, in the Sudan there is barely a published data. The aim of this study was to detect Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) biopsies obtained from Sudanese patients using Polymerase Chain reaction.

This is a descriptive, retrospective hospital based study, conducted at the National Center for ENT diseases and the Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Khartoum, Khartoum City, Sudan. Archival blocks were obtained from 82 patients diagnosed as having nasopharyngeal carcinoma were molecularly examined for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus.

Eighty two Paraffin fixed tissue sections were examined for the presence of the virus using PCR, EBV was identified in 51/ 82 (62.2 %) samples and couldn't be identified in 31/ 82 (37.8 %) tissue samples. Out of the 51 infected samples, 33/51 (64.7 %) were found among males and 18/27 (66.7 %) were found among females.

The present study is providing strong evidence supporting the general association of EBV infection in NPC among Sudanese patients.