EBV-Positive Gastric Adenocarcinomas: A Distinct Clinicopathologic Entity With a Low Frequency of Lymph Node Involvement

Top Cited Papers
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Purpose Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is detected in a substantial subgroup of gastric adenocarcinomas worldwide. We have previously reported that these EBV-positive gastric carcinomas carry distinct genomic aberrations. In the present study, we analyzed a large cohort of EBV-positive and EBV-negative gastric adenocarcinomas for their clinicopathologic features to determine whether they constitute a different clinical entity. Patients and Methods Using a validated polymerase chain reaction/enzyme immunoassay–based prescreening method in combination with EBER1/2-RNA in situ hybridization, EBV was detected in the tumor cells of 7.2% (n = 41) of the gastric carcinomas from the Dutch D1D2 trial (N = 566; mean follow-up, 9 years). EBV status was correlated with clinicopathologic features collected for the Dutch D1D2 trial. Results EBV-positive gastric carcinomas occurred significantly more frequently in males (P < .0001) and in younger patients (P = .012). Most were of the intestinal type according to the Laurén cl...