Epstein-Barr virus distribution in Hodgkin's disease in an unselected Swedish population.
All patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) (n = 117) identified in the Uppsala/Orebro region of Sweden between 1985 and 1988 were examined for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells. EBV was detected with LMP-1 immunostaining and in situ hybridization for EBERs. Overall, 32 (27%) tumours were EBV-positive but there were significant differences in EBV-positivity between histopathological subgroups (p = 0.03). In MC, 8/21 (38%) were positive, in NS 20/67 (23%), LD 3/3, LP 1/5, and in unclassified 0/1. Patients with EBV-positive tumours were significantly older, mean 52 vs. 42 years (p = 0.02), and were likely to have significantly more B-symptoms or advanced stage disease. Patients with EBV-positive tumours tended to have a poorer survival rate (p = 0.11). The proportion of EBV-positive tumours, and especially the proportion of EBV-positive MC, was lower than previously reported. This could be explained by selection of patients from previous studies, or by differences in EBV-positivity in different geographical or ethnic populations of HD.
Department of Oncology, Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset, Sweden. Gunilla.Enblad@onkologi.uu.se
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Enblad
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Sandvej
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Sundström
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Pallesen
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Glimelius
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011159:Population Surveillance; D016539:Reed-Sternberg Cells / Q000821:virology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013548:Sweden