Lymphoepithelioma-like gastric adenocarcinoma. Descriptive case series.

Abstract

Lymphoepithelioma-like gastric adenocarcinoma is characterised by a large reactive lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate in the stroma and islets of undifferentiated cells, which express intense and widespread Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). This tumour type has higher survival rates than other gastric cancers, a more proximal location and less lymphatic spread. Our aim is to describe the clinical and pathological characteristics of our series of lymphoepithelioma-like gastric adenocarcinoma. We selected patients who underwent surgery for gastric adenocarcinoma lymphoepithelioma-like variant from 2014 onwards. The results of the following variables were collected: age (years), sex, pre-diagnostic clinical time (months), gastric tumour location, endoscopic biopsy histology, surgical technique, in situ hybridisation for EBER region (Epstein-Barr virus-associated non-coding RNA), microsatellite instability, degree of differentiation, level of resection, tumour size (cm), TNM T value, lymphadenopathy/resected node ratio, overall survival (months) and vital status. Our experience in the lymphoepithelioma-like variant presents as an advanced gastric cancer, possibly related to long-standing prediagnostic symptoms. It behaves as a tumour with expansive local growth with little capacity for lymphatic or metastatic involvement, which could be explained by the prominent intratumoral lymphoid stroma that acts as an antimetastatic barrier.