ASSOCIATION BETWEEN EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS AND BURKITTS-LYMPHOMA IN TAIWAN

BACKGROUND, The association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Burki tt's lymphoma (BL) in Taiwan is not clear. In this study, the authors attempted to determine the frequency of the occurrence of EBV infectio n in patients with BL in Taiwan. METHODS, A retrospective study was pe rformed using a nonisotopic in situ hybridization technique to detect the presence of EBV-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) in paraffin embedded BL tissues. Tissues of other types of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL ) were used as controls. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to examine the presence of an EBV-encoded protein, latent membrane prote in (LMP), and p53 in specimens. RESULTS, EBERs were detectable in 10 o f 18 BL specimens. It was present in the cervical lymph nodes (LNs) in six of the seven cases of cervical tumors, in the maxillary region in one case, in one of two cases of axillary LNs, and in the abdominal t umors in two of the seven cases of intraabdominal disease. EBER positi ve cells were diffusely present in all tumors except in one abdominal BL, in which only a few EBER positive cells were scattered in a small part of the tumor. EBER positive cells were not detected in the case w ith BL in an inguinal LN and in the seven cases with intraabdominal tu mors. Immunohistochemical studies showed that LMP and p53 were express ed in 3 and 4 of the 18 cases, respectively. In another 20 NHLs in per ipheral LNs, EBERs were detectable in only 1 case of diffuse large cel l histology with numerous reactive T cells in which only large tumor c ells expressed EBERs and LMP. EBERs were not detected in asp of the te n cases of extranodal NHL. CONCLUSIONS. In Taiwan, EBV is frequently a ssociated with BL occurring outside the abdomen but rarely with intraa bdominal BL. The overall association between EBV and BL in Taiwan is i ntermediate compared with other regions of the world. These results su pport the theory that the frequency of EBV associated with BL is influ enced by the endemicity of EBV and/or the socioeconomic status of a co untry. (C) 1997 American Cancer Society.