Detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genomes in the serum of patients with EBV-associated Hodgkin's disease

DNA from malignant cells is present in the serum/plasma of cancer patients and DNA from this source is amenable to analysis by polymerase chain reacti on (PCR). In the present study, we evaluated whether Epstein-Barr virus (EB V) DNA is present in the serum of patients with EBV-associated Hodgkin's di sease (HD). Using conventional PCR, EBV DNA was detected in serum from 30/3 3 patients with EBV-associated HD but in only 6/26 patients with non-EBV-as sociated disease(p < 0.001). Samples from healthy individuals were negative and only 5/12 infectious mononucleosis samples were positive. Real-time qu antitative PCR was subsequently employed to determine the concentration of EBV DNA present in serum; among positive samples the level ranged from 1 to 705 copies per 125 mu l of serum. Posttreatment samples from 5/14 cases wi th EBV-associated HD contained detectable EBV DNA; analysis of this small g roup of cases suggests that positivity in post-treatment samples correlates with risk factors indicative of a poor prognosis. Overall, our results are consistent with the notion that DNA from Reed-Sternberg cells is present i n the serum of HD patients, and further suggest that serum EBV should be ev aluated as a prognostic marker. Int. J. Cancer (Pred. Oncol.) 84:442-448, 1 999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.