Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated gastric cancer and its clinical characteristics

Abstract

4263 Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a variety of lymphoproliferative disorders. Recently, many authors reported the association between EBV and gastric cancer, but it is not well known about characteristics of EBV associated gastric cancer. We detected the EBV in gastric cancer by using in situ hybridization(ISH) with tissue microarray and reviewed the patients' chart to determine special characteristics of EBV-associated gastric cancer. Methods: Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded blocks from 380 surgically resected gastric specimens were studied by using ISH with tissue microarray. All patients were diagnosed with gastric cancer between January 1998 and March 2003 at kangnam St. Mary's hospital of Korea. Clinical data were obtained from clinical record Results: EBV was detected in 20 of 380 cases (5.3%) with gastric cancer by ISH. In EBV-positive gastric cancer, median age was 58.5 years. Most common symptom was epigastric pain (55%). Most lesions were at upper portion of stomach. Fourteen cases (70%) were located at body, five cases (25%) at antrum, and one case (5%) at cardia. According to histologic grade, 10 patients (50%) had moderate differentiated adenocarcinoma, and 9 patients (45%) had poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Most of patients with EBV-positive gastric cancer had early gastric cancer (EGC) by gastrofiberscopic classification (80%). Conclusions: In this study, we tested EBV by using ISH with tissue micoarray in gastric cancer. Although its incidence is very low, EBV associated gastric cancer has tendency to be diagnosed at early stage. We are going to investigate several protein expressions to determine how EBV plays a role in carcinogenesis in gastric cancer. No significant financial relationships to disclose.