Relationship between epstein-barr virus and lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the lung: A clinicopathologic study of 6 cases and review of the literature

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare form of lung cancer, usually encountered in Chinese patients. Similar to nasopharyngeal carcinoma, LELC of the lung is strongly associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in Asian patients, but there is controversy over whether an association...

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Published in:Human pathology 2001-08, Vol.32 (8), p.863-872
Main Authors: Castro, Claudia Y., Ostrowski, Mary L., Barrios, Roberto, Green, Linda K., Popper, Helmuth H., Powell, Susan, Cagle, Phillip T., Ro, Jae Y.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - chemistry
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - virology
DNA, Viral - analysis
Epstein-Barr virus
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - metabolism
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - pathology
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - virology
Female
Herpesvirus 4, Human - genetics
Herpesvirus 4, Human - isolation & purification
Humans
Immunoenzyme Techniques
In Situ Hybridization
Leukocyte Common Antigens - analysis
lung neoplasm
Lung Neoplasms - chemistry
Lung Neoplasms - pathology
Lung Neoplasms - virology
lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Staging
Pneumology
Retrospective Studies
Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum
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Summary:Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare form of lung cancer, usually encountered in Chinese patients. Similar to nasopharyngeal carcinoma, LELC of the lung is strongly associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in Asian patients, but there is controversy over whether an association exists in patients from Western countries. To determine whether such a relationship exists, we retrospectively studied 6 cases of primary LELC of the lung, all of which were in Western patients. There were 4 men and 2 women, ranging in age from 49 to 75 years. The tumors ranged from 1 to 4.5 cm in diameter. Four patients had stage I disease, 1 had stage IIb disease, and 1 had stage IIIa disease. All patients are alive without evidence of disease with a follow-up of 18 to 30 months. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue was stained with hematoxylin-eosin for routine evaluation and immunostained for keratin and leukocyte common antigen (LCA). LCA staining was performed to exclude large-cell lymphoma. Immunoperoxidase staining (1:500 clone CS1-4; Dako, Carpinteria, CA) and in situ hybridization were performed to detect EBV. Tumors consisted of solid nests of undifferentiated tumor cells in a syncytial arrangement surrounded by heavy lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. Tumor cells stained positively for keratin but negative for LCA. All 6 cases were negative for EBV, suggesting no association between EBV and LELC in the Western population. HUM PATHOL 32:863-872. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
ISSN:0046-8177
1532-8392
DOI:10.1053/hupa.2001.26457