Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the lung: analysis of two cases for Epstein-Barr virus infection.
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma, which is an uncommon histological type of epithelial tumor, has been described as being closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in organs other than the lung. Recently, we experienced two surgically resected cases of pulmonary tumors mimicking lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma. Both cases contained EBV DNA genomes as shown by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using EBV DNA-specific primers, one positive for EBV DNA in virtually all cancer cells, and the other showing positive hybridization in a small number of cancer cells by in situ hybridization (ISH) using digoxigenin-labeled olignucletide probes for each of EBV DNA for EBV DNA. EBV-encoded RNA-1 (EBER-1) was typically detected in one case. These results are highly suggestive of EBV-associated tumors in one of the current cases, although in the other case, no such close association was determined. It seems that lymphoepithelioma-like pulmonary carcinoma, which seems extremely unusual, may be closely associated with EBV infection in tumorigenesis.
Higashiyama
M
M
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Center for Adult Diseases, Osaka, Japan.
Doi
O
O
Kodama
K
K
Yokouchi
H
H
Tateishi
R
R
Horiuchi
K
K
Mishima
K
K
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral