Epstein-Barr-virus-associated gastric cancer in Russia

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to estimate the prevalence of EBV‐associated cases among gastric carcinoma (GC) patients of Russia and the Republics of the former Soviet Union (FSU). With this aim, formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded blocks from 206 gastric carcinomas obtained from patients of the Cancer Research Center, Moscow, were investigated by EBV‐encoded RNA‐1 (EBER‐1) in situ hybridization applied to paraffin sections. As a result, 18 GC cases (8.7%) revealed uniform EBER‐1 expression restricted to the carcinoma cells. Hybridized signals not detected in non‐neoplastic gastric epithelium. EBV involvement was significantly more frequent among males, especially in tumors of less differentiated types (moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinomas and poorly differentiated solid adenocarcinomas) and located in the upper stomach (cardia and middle). Most EBV‐positive GCs were characterized by strong lymphoid‐compartment involvement. Our findings concerning the distribution of EBV‐positive GCs by sex, site and hystological type are similar to those in Japan, however, EBV‐positive rate of GC cases in Russia is higher than in Japan and lower than in USA. Int. J. Cancer 73:786–789, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Epstein‐Barr virus in gastric carcinoma is associated with location in the cardia and with a diffuse histology: A study in one area of Chile

“…41 Male predominance was one of the most evident clinicopathologic features of EBV-associated GC demonstrated in previous studies. 10,11,16,40 Although we also found male predominance in the present study, the gender ratio (male/female) was merely 1.9, which did not achieve statistical significance, and was lower than the gender ratios reported elsewhere. Although most of the studies reported so far showed male predominance, a notable exception is the finding reported in Mexico by Herrera-Goepfert et al 41 In that study the male/female ratio was 1.1.…”

“…This frequency is significantly higher (p Ͻ 0.001) than that reported of in other countries like Japan, Russia and Mexico, where it ranges between 8.1-10% (Table III). 11,16,41 Conversely, the frequency of EBV-associated GC in the middle or antrum in our study were similar to that reported of in these countries (Table III).…”

“…Clinicopathologic findings such as cardia location, diffuse histology and weak male predominance are different from those described in previous studies, 10,11,16,18,19 but similar to those conducted in Mexico 41 and to Mexican descendants living in the U.S. 42 suggesting unique characteristics of EBV-associated GC in Latin-America. Further research in other Latin-American countries will be necessary to confirm these findings.…”

“…This finding is contrary to what has been described as an equal proportion between intestinal and diffuse histology for EBV-associated GC. 10,11,16 Interestingly, the association between diffuse histology and EBV positive tumors has been recently described by a Mexican study, where among 135 GC cases, all 11 EBV positive cases were of diffuse histology. 41 Male predominance was one of the most evident clinicopathologic features of EBV-associated GC demonstrated in previous studies.…”

A Rapid and Reliable Enzyme Immunoassay PCR-Based Screening Method to Identify EBV-Carrying Gastric Carcinomas

“…Meanwhile, we have applied this screening method to an additional 82 randomly selected cases, and observed an overall EBV positivity of 7.7% in a total of 324 cases from 19 different Dutch hospitals (data not shown). This is in agreement with the current literature concerning the prevalence of EBV-carrying gastric adenocarcinomas worldwide (7,9,29,30).…”