Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma of the Lung Associated With Epstein-Barr Virus in a Caucasian Patient: A Case Report

Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare tumour that is histologically identical to the lymphoepithelioma originally described in the nasopharynx. It mostly occurs in endemic regions in Asia, where it is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. The incidence of primary pulmonary LELC is even lower in the Western population, in which an association with EBV is not typically observed. In this report, we present the case of a 78-year-old Caucasian woman who was diagnosed with EBV-positive pulmonary LELC following lingulectomy and histopathological examination of the tumour. Metastasis from the nasopharynx was excluded clinically and radiologically. Due to the absence of regional lymph node involvement, the patient did not receive adjuvant therapy. She remained free of disease at the one-year follow-up. Reporting cases of primary pulmonary LELC in non-Asian patients can help to elucidate the association with EBV infection and its potential implications for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.