Abstract

The author examined the immunophenotype and expression of Epstem-Barr virus RNA (EBERs) used in the situ hybridization technique in 20 cases of conventional malignant lymphoma and 28 cases of polymorphic reticulosis and malignant lymphoma with features of polymorphic reticulosis occured in the upper aerodigestive tract including the upper digestive tract(palatine tonsil), and upper respiratory tract(nasal cavity, paranasal sinus, nasopharynx). The results obtained were summarized as followings; 1. The favorable site of malignant lymphoma that occured in the upper aerodigestive tract was in the palatine tonsil(11 out of 20 cases, 55%), those of polymorphic reticulosis and malignant lymphoma with features of polymorphic reticulosis were nasal cavity and nasopharynx(19 out of 28 cases, 78%). 2. The immunophentype of malignant lymphoma that occured in the upper aerodigestive tract was mostly B-cell phenotype (15 out of 20 cases, 75%), and that of polymorphic reticulosis and malignant lymphoma with features of polymorphic reticulosis was predominantly T-cell phenotype(22 out of 28 cases, 79%). 3. The EBERs positivity of malignant lymphoma that occured in the upper aerodigestive tract was 25%(5 out of 20 cases), but that of polymorphic reticulosis and malignant lymphoma with features of polymorphic reticulosis was 57%(16 out of 28 cases). 4. The positive cases for EBERs revealed angiocentricity with necrosis(16 out of 21 cases, 76%), predominantly T-cell phenotype(19 out of 21 cases, 90%), and favorably involved the nasal cavity and nasopharynx(16 out of 21 cases, 76%). Based on the above results, it was concluded that polymorphic reticulosis and malignant lymphoma with features of polymorphic reticulosis that occurred in the upper respiratory tract was an EBV-positive angiocentric T-cell lymphoma favorably involving the nasal cavity and nasopharynx.

• Keywords: Malignant lymphoma;Polymorphic reticulosis;Upper aerodigestive tract;EBERs;In situ hybridization;