Epstein-Barr virus DNA Detection in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma in a Nigerian Tertiary Health Centre

Abstract

Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated adenocarcinoma constitutes 10% of gastric carcinomas worldwide. The EBV-positive  adenocarcinoma has a unique genomic aberration with a low mutation burden and thus carries a good prognosis. The distinct salient  genomic features have provided a guide to targeted therapy and the possibility of a clinical trial for emerging drugs in EBV-positive  gastric adenocarcinomas. We retrospectively reviewed ten cases to determine the frequency of this association in our environment.  

Methods: The study was an analytical case-control study. Non-probably purposive sampling method was adopted; ten formalin-fixed and  paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from surgically resected gastric adenocarcinoma seen at the Histopathology Department of the  University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital were selected and used. The PCR was done at National Trypanosomiasis Centre, Kaduna using  129 bp primers. The patient biodata and EBV status were entered into a computer and analysed using SPSS version 23. Proportions were  calculated using the Chi-square test and a p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Ten cases were retrieved.  There were 6 females and 4 males with F:M ratio of 3:2 and a mean age of 52.7 ± 10.26 SD with an SE of 0.661. Seventy percent of the  cases were positive for EBV while 30% were negative. Four out of the 6 females were positive for EBV DNA and 3 out of the 4 males were  positive for EBV DNA. Fifty percent of the positive cases were found within their 4th decade of Life. There was no statistical significance  between the histological types and EBV status (p=0.467).

Conclusion: The study has shown a high frequency of EBV-DNA detection in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma in our environment, with 50 % occurring in the 4th decade of life. We recommend a further study  with larger sample size and analysis of exome and genome sequencing of EBV in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma to increase our  understanding of its prognosis and treatment.