Resumen de Epstein-Barr virus in oral proliferative verrucous leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma: a preliminary study

José Vicente Bagán Sebastián, Yolanda Jiménez Soriano, Judith Murillo Cortés, Rafael Poveda Roda, José María Díaz Fernández, Carmen Gavaldá Esteve, María Margaix Muñoz, Crispian Scully, Trinidad M. Alberola, Manuela Torres Puente, Manuel Pérez Alonso

• The aim of this study was to analyze proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) for the possible presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

  We studied three groups: Sub-Group 1 was composed of 10 patients with PVL, (6 of whom had developed OSCC);

  Sub-Group 2 comprised 5 patients with OSCC but no preceding PVL; and Sub-Group 3 were 5 controls with clinically normal oral mucosa. Oral biopsies from all cases were examined for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) by nested PCR.

  EBV was detected in 60% of Sub-Group 1 patients (PVL ) and in 40% of Sub-Group 2 (OSCC), but in 0% of SubGroup 3 (controls).