Epstein-Barr virus-induced natural killer/T cell lymphoma arising in tonsil and cervical node tissue.

Infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been linked to approximately 10%–15% of lymphomas diagnosed in the USA, including a small percentage of Natural Killer (NK)/T cell lymphomas, which are clinically aggressive, respond poorly to chemotherapy and have a shorter survival. Here, we present a case of a patient found to have EBV-induced NK/T cell lymphoma from a chronic EBV infection. While the EBV most commonly infects B cells, it can infect NK/T cells, and it is important for the clinician to be aware of the potential transformation to lymphoma as it is clinically aggressive, warranting early recognition and treatment. NK/T cell lymphoma is a unique type of non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma that is almost always associated with EBV. The disease predominantly localises in the upper aerodigestive tract, most commonly in the nose.