Premium
Association between Epstein‐Barr virus and Burkitt's lymphoma in Taiwan
Author(s) -
Chao TsuYi,
Wang TowYeuan,
Lee WeiHua
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19970701)80:1<121::aid-cncr16>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - lymphoma , pathology , medicine , immunohistochemistry , epstein–barr virus , histology , virus , burkitt's lymphoma , lymph , in situ hybridization , staining , virology , biology , gene expression , biochemistry , gene
BACKGROUND The association between Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) and Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) in Taiwan is not clear. In this study, the authors attempted to determine the frequency of the occurrence of EBV infection in patients with BL in Taiwan. METHODS A retrospective study was performed using a nonisotopic in situ hybridization technique to detect the presence of EBV‐encoded small RNAs (EBERs) in paraffin embedded BL tissues. Tissues of other types of B‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were used as controls. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to examine the presence of an EBV‐encoded protein, latent membrane protein (LMP), and p53 in specimens. RESULTS EBERs were detectable in 10 of 18 BL specimens. It was present in the cervical lymph nodes (LNs) in six of the seven cases of cervical tumors, in the maxillary region in one case, in one of two cases of axillary LNs, and in the abdominal tumors in two of the seven cases of intraabdominal disease. EBER positive cells were diffusely present in all tumors except in one abdominal BL, in which only a few EBER positive cells were scattered in a small part of the tumor. EBER positive cells were not detected in the case with BL in an inguinal LN and in the seven cases with intraabdominal tumors. Immunohistochemical studies showed that LMP and p53 were expressed in 3 and 4 of the 18 cases, respectively. In another 20 NHLs in peripheral LNs, EBERs were detectable in only 1 case of diffuse large cell histology with numerous reactive T cells in which only large tumor cells expressed EBERs and LMP. EBERs were not detected in any of the ten cases of extranodal NHL. CONCLUSIONS In Taiwan, EBV is frequently associated with BL occurring outside the abdomen but rarely with intraabdominal BL. The overall association between EBV and BL in Taiwan is intermediate compared with other regions of the world. These results support the theory that the frequency of EBV associated with BL is influenced by the endemicity of EBV and/or the socioeconomic status of a country. Cancer 1997; 80:121‐8. © 1997 American Cancer Society.