[Influence of Epstein-Barr virus genome on patient survival in Hodgkin's disease].

In the literature EBV is considered a possible etiologic factor for Hodgkin's disease (HD). We investigated 187 cases of HD for the presence of Epstein Barr virus using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded lymph node tissue to clarify the clinical importance of the incidence of this genome. The 187 cases included all subtypes. 66 cases (35.2%) were positive for EBV DNA. The statistical analysis of follow-up data from 130 patients revealed no influence of EBV DNA on survival time. In our investigation detection of EBV DNA by PCR showed no prognostic relevance for patients with HD.