ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE FOR AN ETIOLOGIC ROLE FOR EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS IN NEOPLASMS OF THE LUNG AND PLEURA

Although most lung carcinomas and mesotheliomas are associated with we ll-known risk factors, thse cancers develop only a minority of persons exposed to known risk factors. On the other hand, these cancers devel op in some patients without exposure to known risk factors, This indic ates that other environmental factors play a role in the carcinogenesi s of these tumors, Oncogenic viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are well-established agents in the development of certain cancers, EBV genomes have been detected by in situ hybridization in gastric adenoc arcinomas and in nasopharyngeal carcinomas. To determine whether EBV i nfection is associated with pulmonary adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma, we performed EBV encoded RNA-I in situ hybridization on 80 pulmonary a denocarcinoma and 50 mesothelioma resection specimens, Sections were c ut from paraffin-embedded tissue and EBV-encoded RNA-1 in situ hybridi zation was performed using an antisense oligoprobe. Sections were revi ewed for the presence of EBV-encoded RNA-1 in tumor cells, All 80 aden ocarcinomas and 50 mesotheliomas were negative for EBV-encoded RNA-1 b y in situ hybridization, In conclusion, no evidence for an etiologic r ole for EBV in the development of pulmonary adenocarcinoma or pleural mesothelioma was found in this study.