A unique morphology of Epstein-Barr virus-related early gastric carcinoma.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) involvement in gastric cancer is demonstrated by uniform presence of viral RNA in carcinoma cells as detected by EBV-encoded small RNA in situ hybridization, monoclonal proliferation of EBV-infected carcinoma cells, and elevated antibodies. Our review of selected early gastric cancers found that 46 of 49 EBV-positive lesions (94%) but only four of 97 EBV-negative lesions (4%) conformed to a unique morphology, in which carcinoma cells formed lace patterns of branching and/or anastomosing structures with lymphocytic infiltration in and around the carcinoma nests in the mucosa. We conclude that EBV-related gastric carcinoma has a distinct and characteristic morphology in the early stage of development, and this lace pattern is a biomarker of EBV involvement in early gastric cancer.
Uemura
Y
Y
Department of Pathology, Kagoshima City Hospital, Japan.
Tokunaga
M
M
Arikawa
J
J
Yamamoto
N
N
Hamasaki
Y
Y
Tanaka
S
S
Sato
E
E
Land
C E
CE
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology*
D012367:RNA, Viral