Kojya S, Itokazu T, Noda Y, Ezaki M, Tomita Y, Ohsawa M, Aozasa K
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Medicine, Okinawa.
Jpn J Cancer Res. 1998 May;89(5):510-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1998.tb03291.x.
In this study, the correlations of factors with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-association were investigated in 50 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), 61 with oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC), and 55 with hypopharyngeal carcinoma (HPC) in Okinawa and Osaka prefectures in Japan. The incidence of pharyngeal carcinoma in Okinawa was previously found to be higher than that in Osaka; the incidence of OPC was approximately 6 times higher and that of HPC was two times higher. The EBV genome was detected in the tumor cells of the present patients; 83% of the Okinawa and 92% of the Osaka NPC patients. The EBV genome was not detected in OPC or HPC. A univariate analysis showed that sex, the location of the tumor, histology, and the degree of lymphocytic infiltration correlated with the EBV-positive rate. A multivariate analysis revealed that only the location of the tumor was independently correlated with the EBV-positive rate. Histology and tumor size were factors affecting the prognosis of the patients with NPC. The NPC of poorly differentiated type frequently showed the EBV genome, and NPC with lymphocytic infiltration showed a more favorable prognosis compared to the other NPC types. These findings suggest that latent genes of EBV expressed in cancer cells might trigger a cytotoxic T cell reaction against the cancer.
在本研究中，对日本冲绳县和大阪府的50例鼻咽癌（NPC）患者、61例口咽癌（OPC）患者和55例下咽癌（HPC）患者进行了与爱泼斯坦-巴尔病毒（EBV）关联因素的相关性研究。此前发现冲绳县的咽癌发病率高于大阪；OPC的发病率约高6倍，HPC的发病率高2倍。在本研究患者的肿瘤细胞中检测到EBV基因组；冲绳83%的NPC患者和大阪92%的NPC患者检测到该基因组。OPC或HPC中未检测到EBV基因组。单因素分析显示，性别、肿瘤位置、组织学类型和淋巴细胞浸润程度与EBV阳性率相关。多因素分析显示，只有肿瘤位置与EBV阳性率独立相关。组织学类型和肿瘤大小是影响NPC患者预后的因素。低分化型NPC常显示EBV基因组，与其他NPC类型相比，有淋巴细胞浸润的NPC预后更良好。这些发现表明，癌细胞中表达的EBV潜伏基因可能引发针对癌症的细胞毒性T细胞反应。
