Epstein-Barr virus and human herpes virus-8 are not associated with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma

Background Nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (also known as juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma) is a rare fibroblastic tumor with a vascular component that occurs in the nasopharynx and posterolateral nasal wall of adolescent boys. The etiology of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma remains elusive. This investigation was undertaken to determine if human herpes simplex virus-8 and Epstein- Barr virus are possible etiologic viruses and to determine if they have any association with the age of the patient and/or the proliferative state of the lesion. Materials and methods Formalin fixed, routinely processed, and paraffin embedded surgical specimens of 15 angiofibromas were submitted to PCR for EBV and HHV-8, while in situ hybridization was also employed for EBV. Immunohistochemical analysis for ki-67 was performed using MIB immunostaining. Results None of the tumors were positive for HHV-8. The PCR technique produced a false positive reaction in five cases, with all cases non-reactive with EBV-ISH. The age of the patients did not show correlation with the Ki-67 labeling index. Conclusion Angiofibroma does not appear to be associated with either HHV-8 or EBV, thereby excluding these viruses as potential etiologic agents. The lack of a correlation between the proliferative index and the age of the patient suggests the proposed puberty induced, testosterone-dependent tumor growth may not play a significant role in tumor development. © The Author(s) 2008.