Abstract
Background
Gastric cancer (GC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related mortality. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with gastric cancer. The present research was performed to investigate the prevalence of EBV-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC) among Iranian patients.
Materials and Methods
Seventy formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cases of gastric cancer and 30 FFPE cases of gastric ulcer were studied from 2011–2018 in the case-control study. The specimens were investigated for the presence of the EBV genome by Nested-PCR for EBNA1. The positive samples for the EBNA1 region were again tested for the EBER gene by the PCR method. Positive samples were sequenced and aligned to construct the EBV phylogenetic tree.
Results
Five out of 70 cases (7%) indicated positive results for EBV by EBNA1, while all EBNA1 positive samples were negative for EBER. Additionally, EBV was detected in none of the gastric ulcer patients. The mean age for patients with EBV-positive gastric carcinomas was 64.5 years. Three (60%) male patients and 2 (40%) female cases were positive for EBV. Three out of 24 (60%) diffuse-type cases were EBV associated, and 2 out of 46(40%) intestinal-type were EBV positive. most cases of EBVaGC were seen in grade Ⅰ.
Conclusion
The present study shows that the frequency of EBVaGC in Iran is low. Differences in EBVaGC incidence in different countries may represent epidemiologic factors and dietary habits. Further analysis of clinical pathology characteristics of EBVaGC using a greater number of cases will offer useful insights into its etiology.
Epstein–Barr virus antibody level and gastric cancer risk in Korea: a nested case–control study