ABSENCE OF LATENT EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS IN CUTANEOUS SQUAMOPROLIFERATIVELESIONS AFTER SOLID-ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION

Recent studies implicate Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis of an increasing number of lymphoid and epithelial tumors, EBV-related disorders are particularly prevalent in immunosuppressed patients, Th e most common neoplasms arising in persons receiving long-term immunos uppressive agents after organ transplantation include non-Hodgkin's ly mphomas and skin and lip carcinomas, Because EBV plays a major role in the evolution of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders a nd was recently identified in a squamous cell carcinoma of the hp in a renal transplant recipient, we examined squamoproliferative lesions o f the skin and lips for the presence of latent EBV. Twenty-six paraffi n-embedded specimens from 23 different squamoproliferative lesions occ urring in 9 solid organ transplant recipients were examined for the pr esence of latent EBV by ire situ hybridization for EBV-encoded small R NA (EBER-1). The squamoproliferative lesions included 16 squamous cell carcinomas, 3 re-excisions of squamous cell carcinomas, 5 basal cell carcinomas, and 2 actinic keratoses. Two lesions from a single patient exhibited clusters of positive dermal lymphocytes after in situ hybri dization with tile EBER-1 probe. This patient is currently without cli nical evidence of a lymphoproliferative disorder 2 years after the fir st biopsy showing this phenomenon. The squamoproliferative lesions wer e all uniformly negative, EBV does not seem to play a role in the init iation or progression of the majority of cutaneous squamoproliferative lesions arising in immunosuppressed patients who received solid organ transplants.