BACKGROUND:The understanding of the etiopathogenesis of gastric carcinoma (GC) can be a base for development of new therapeutic methods to reduce mortality and to increase survival in patients with GC. The percentage of Epstein - Barr virus (EBV) positive gastric carcinomas is uncertain, and the etiologic importance of EBV in the pathogenesis of GC has still not been elucidated.AIM:This study aimed to determine the percentage of EBV associated GC as well as to determine their clinicopathological characteristics.MATERIAL AND METHODS:The study included 80 patients with GC who were analysed for ethnicity, local growth of a tumour (T status), the presence of nodal metastases (N), the presence of distant metastases (M), stage of the disease and degree of carcinoma differentiation. For detection of EBV, immunostainings were performed on tumour tissue and the peripheral non-tumour gastric mucosa.RESULTS:Positive immunostaining with an antibody against EBV was found in 19 (23.75%) of the 80 patients with gastric carcinomas. EBV immunostainings were significantly different in patients with or without metastasis and between patients of Macedonian and Albanian ethnicity (p < 0.0001, p < 0.009, respectively). EBV immunoexpression was significantly associated with the presence of distant metastases and with patients of Albanian ethnicity.CONCLUSION:Association of EBV immunostainings with distant metastasis in patients with GC suggests the influence of EBV infection on the progression of gastric carcinoma. Due to scarce and doubtful literature data on EBV associated GC, further studies are necessary to determine the role of EBV regarding aetiology, treatment and prognosis in patients with EBV associated gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND:HER2 protein expression in gastric carcinoma, in correlation with existing, acknowledged prognostic factors which include the parameters that determine the TNM stage of the disease, could become the basis for ongoing research in the field of molecular targeted and personalised therapy.AIM:To determine the expression of the HER2 protein in gastric carcinoma and to correlate the expression of a HER2 protein with clinicopathological characteristics of the disease.MATERIAL AND METHODS:The data of HER2 protein expression and the parameters of the TNM classification were obtained from the histopathological reports of the Institute of Pathology in Skopje, and for the clinical stage we used patient’s files from the University Clinic for Abdominal Surgery in Skopje.RESULTS:The analysis of the correlation of HER2 protein expression and TNM classification parameters pointed out a significant correlation between HER2 protein expression and intragastric localisation of gastric carcinoma (P = 0.005), and the tumour grade of differentiation (P = 0.034). There was also a positive correlation between HER2 protein expression pattern and positive lymph nodes in patients with gastric carcinoma (P = 0.03). The expression pattern of HER2 +++ was significantly more common registered in patients with positive lymph nodes (P = 0.03)CONCLUSION:The expression of HER2 protein could represent a biological marker with prognostic and predictive value in patients with gastric carcinoma. Considering the high mortality rate in patients with gastric carcinoma and lack of international standardised therapeutic approach, research of the role and significance of HER2 overexpression and Trastuzumab therapy may prove useful in the development of new therapeutic strategies.