Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma: Evidence of age-dependence among a Mexican population.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate features of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC) among a Mexican population.


METHODS
Cases of primary gastric adenocarcinoma were retrieved from the files of the Departments of Pathology at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia and the Instituto Nacional de la Nutricion in Mexico City. The anatomic site of the gastric neoplasia was identified, and carcinomas were histologically classified as intestinal and diffuse types and subclassified as proposed by the Japanese Research Society for Gastric Cancer. EBV-encoded small non-polyadenylated RNA-1 (EBER-1) in situ hybridization was conducted to determine the presence of EBV in neoplastic cells.


RESULTS
We studied 330 consecutive, non-selected, primary gastric carcinomas. Among these, there were 173 male and 157 female patients (male/female ratio 1.1/1). EBER-1 was detected in 24 (7.3%) cases (male/female ratio: 1.2/1). The mean age for the entire group was 58.1 years (range: 20-88 years), whereas the mean age for patients harboring EBER-1-positive gastric carcinomas was 65.3 years (range: 50-84 years). Age and histological type showed statistically significant differences, when EBER-1-positive and -negative gastric carcinomas were compared. EBER-1 was detected in hyperplastic- and dysplastic-gastric mucosa surrounding two EBER-1-negative carcinomas, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Among Latin-American countries, Mexico has the lowest frequency of EBVaGC. Indeed, the Mexican population >50 years of age was selectively affected. Ethnic variations are responsible for the epidemiologic behavior of EBVaGC among the worldwide population.
Herrera-Goepfert
Roberto
R
Departamento de Patologia Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Av. San Fernando #22, Colonia Seccion XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico DF 14080, Mexico. rhgoepfert@yahoo.com.mx
Akiba
Suminori
S
Koriyama
Chihaya
C
Ding
Shan
S
Reyes
Edgardo
E
Itoh
Tetsuhiko
T
Minakami
Yoshie
Y
Eizuru
Yoshito
Y
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*