Detection of Epstein-Barr virus in Tcell lymphoma and clinicopathologic analysis

Objective To study the relationship of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and T cell lymphoma.Methods Sixty cases of T cell lymphomas were examined for the presence of EBV using in situ hybridization for EBV encoded RNA (EBERs).Results EBERs were detected in tumor cells in 37(69.8%) of 53 cases with peripheral T cell lymphoma,but in none of seven cases of precusor T lymphoblastic lymphoma.The total detected EBERs were 37(61.6%) in 60 cases of T cell lymphomas.By Revised European Amercan Lymphoma(REAL) classification,EBERs were detected in 2/2 angioimmuno blastic T cell lymphoma,17/18 angiocentric lymphoma, 4/6 anaplastic large cell lymphoma and 14/27 peripheral T cell lymphoma,unspecified (51.9%).The frequency of EBERs among the extranodal peripheral T cell lymphoma was higher than the nodal ( P 0.01),there was no significent correlation with the sex,age and clinical stage.Conclusion This study indicated that high incidence of EBV was observed in peripheral T cell lymphoma,with predilection for angiocentric lymphoma and extranodal presentation.