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To evaluate whether EBV-DNA can be used as a diagnostic and follow-up parameter for nasopharyngeal tumors in a non-endemic population. The study was carried out in a university hospital. A retrospective study was conducted on 40 paraffin samples of histological preparations. EB-DNA was detected by real-time PCR technique. A prospective study was also conducted on a group of 30 patients who underwent nasopharyngeal biopsy for suspected nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by comparing EBV-DNA concentrations between the histological specimen and the serum. Quantification of genomic copies of EBV-DNA in serum and detection of anti-EBV antibodies was performed. In both groups the presence of high viral load of EBV-DNA was found in nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinomas, in three cases of lymphepitomyoma and in 4 out of 6 cases of non-differentiated non-carcinoma lymph node metastases. squamous keratinizing cells. In all cases of NPC, an antibody pattern typical of reactivations (IgGVCA+, IgG-EA+, IgG-EBNA+) and IgA-EA-D, frequently positive in cases of NPC, has been highlighted. A good correlation between the high EBV-DNA charges and the histological diagnosis was highlighted. Our study also found that the assessment of viral EBV load can also be considered in the prognostic evaluation and in the follow-up of patients with NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]