Hi Bret,like you, I never drink or smoke in my life but contracted tonsil cancer 3 years ago. The virus you quote is known as EB virus which is directly linked with nasophargenal cancer. This cancer is very common in Southern China and the hospital where I received treatment is very experienced in treating this kind of cancer. While tonsil cancer is very very rare in Hong Kong, the team of doctors treated me as if I were a nasophargenal cancer patient and my oncologist told me that when I was diagnosed, my reading of EB virus was very high and it dropped gradually after treatment to a normal level now. The doctors were not sure at this stage the correlation between the EB virus and tonsil cancer and I was a research case. In my medical appointment each time, they would test my blood for the reading of this virus.That was a kind of tumor marker and in July, the reading level suddenly rose and my oncologist was concerned about possible recurrence.He immediately referred me for a PET/CT scan to ensure that everything was OK.I know that oral cancer patients in the States are not given such blood test (correct me if I am wrong).I am glad that I am so closely observed although sometimes it creates 'unnecessary' anxiety. If you search on the internet, I am sure you will come across more information about this virus.I agree that knowing more about a virus may not help in the cure but the pursuit of knowledge about our disease can keep us learning (so we don't idle our time and let depression set in) and my doctor always said that I know more about cancer than a first year medical student(Ha!) Glad that you are doing fine after all your treatment.

Karen.