title: The Epstein-Barr virus and the pathogenesis of lymphoma.
abstract: Since the discovery in 1964 of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in African Burkitt lymphoma, this virus has been associated with a remarkably diverse range of cancer types. Because EBV persists in the B cells of the asymptomatic host, it can easily be envisaged how it contributes to the development of B-cell lymphomas. However, EBV is also found in other cancers, including T-cell/natural killer cell lymphomas and several epithelial malignancies. Explaining the aetiological role of EBV is challenging, partly because the virus probably contributes differently to each tumour and partly because the available disease models cannot adequately recapitulate the subtle variations in the virus-host balance that exist between the different EBV-associated cancers. A further challenge is to identify the co-factors involved; because most persistently infected individuals will never develop an EBV-associated cancer, the virus cannot be working alone. This article will review what is known about the contribution of EBV to lymphoma development.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human Virology and the School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vockerodt
authors.forename: Lee-Fah
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shannon-Lowe
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Curley
authors.forename: Wenbin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vrzalikova
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D057089:Pathology, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods; D014774:Virulence
keywords: Burkitt lymphoma; Epstein-Barr virus; Hodgkin lymphoma; diffuse large B-cell lymphoma