Prospective observation: Clinical utility of plasma Epstein–Barr virus DNA load in EBV‐associated gastric carcinoma patients. Issue 1 (19th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Qiu, Miao‐Zhen; He, Cai‐Yun; Lu, Shi‐Xun; Guan, Wen‐Long; Wang, Fang; Wang, Xiao‐Jian; Jin, Ying; Wang, Feng‐Hua; Li, Yu‐Hong; Shao, Jian‐Yong; Zhou, Zhi‐Wei; Yun, Jing‐Ping; Xu, Rui‐Hua
• Is Part Of: International journal of cancer. Volume 146:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 272
• Page End: 280
• Publication Date: 2019-06-19
• Subjects: EBV -- EBV‐DNA -- gastric cancer -- prognosis; Cancer -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Prevention -- Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32490
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7136

Abstract

Abstract : Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)‐associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGCs) may account for 8–9% of all gastric cancer (GC) patients. All previous reports on EBVaGC were retrospective. Prospective study is warranted to evaluate the exact role of EBV status in predicting the prognosis of GC. It is of special interest to figure out whether dynamic detection of plasma EBV‐DNA load could be a feasible biomarker for the monitor of EBVaGC. From October 2014 to September 2017, we consecutively collected GC patients ( n = 2, 760) from Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center for EBER examination. We detected EBV‐DNA load in plasma and tissue samples of EBVaGC patients at baseline. Subsequently, plasma EBV‐DNA load was dynamically monitored in EBVaGC patients. The overall prevalence of EBVaGC is 5.1% (140/2, 760). The incidence rate of EBVaGC decreased with advanced AJCC 7th TNM stage ( p < 0.001), with the corresponding percentages of 9.3, 9.9, 6.7 and 1.4% for Stage I, II, III and IV patients. EBVaGC patients were predominately young males with better histologic differentiation and earlier TNM stage than EBV‐negative GC (EBVnGC) patients. EBVaGC patients were confirmed to had a favorable 3‐year survival rate (EBVaGC vs . EBVnGC: 76.8% vs . 58.2%, p = 0.0001). Though only 52.1% (73/140) EBVaGC patients gained detectable EBV‐DNA and 43.6% (61/140) reached a positive cutoff of 100 copies/ml, we found the plasma EBV‐DNA load in EBVaGC decreased when patients got response, while it increased when disease progressed. Our results suggested that plasma EBV‐DNA is a good marker in predicting recurrence and chemotherapy response for EBVaGC patients. Abstract : What's new? Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV)‐associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGC) may account for 8–9% of all gastric cancers (GC). The exact role of EBV status in predicting the prognosis of GC remains to be clarified, however. Here, the authors report a prevalence of EBVaGC in GC in China of 5.1%, as defined by EBER staining in cancerous tissue. EBVaGC patients had a better overall survival than EBV‐negative patients. Though only half of EBVaGC patients gained detectable plasma EBV‐DNA levels, elevated plasma EBV‐DNA predicted relapse and poor response to chemotherapy. Dynamic detection of plasma EBV‐DNA load may offer an easily accessible biomarker to monitor EBVaGC.