Objective:For the diagnosis of occult nasophargngeal carcinoma. Method:Epstein-Barr virus in 58 fine needle aspirations from cervical metastatic lymphnodes were detected with polymerase chain reaction. Result: The positive reaction was found in 28/35 metastatic carcinoma samples from middle or upside neck. Negative reaction was found in 3 lymphomas,4 metastatic carcinomas in clavicular superior lymphnodes and 15/ 16 inflammatory diseases of cervical lymphnodes. The sensibility of this method for the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was 89.3%. The specificity was 86.7%. Conclusion: The detection of Epstain-Barr virus in metastatic carcinoma from cervical lymphnodes had some clinical values for the diagnosis of occult nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

To investigate the correlation between p16 gene mutation and laryngeal cancer biological behavior as well as its prognosis in laryngeal cancer.Method:24 speciments of primary laryngeal cancer and 10 speciments with benign lesion in larynx were examined for mutations in exon2 of p16 by using PCR-SSCP silver stainning technique.Result:Mutations frequency of laryngeal cancer was62.5% (15/24).Nothing was found in 10 cases with laryngeal benign lesion.Conclusion:There is a strong correlation between p16 gene mutation and the biological behavior of chinese laryngeal cancer, such as histologic differentiation, invasion stage, and regional lymph nodes metastasis(P≤0.05).PCR-SSCP silver tainning technique is one of the most sensitive and simplest measure for detecting genetic mutation.It is worth using in clinical laboratory because of its readiness, repetition and lower cost.