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A report
from French researchers suggests the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is present
in a high number of breast cancers and is often associated with more aggressive
tumors.
In a study published in a recent issue of the Journal of the National
Cancer Institute, researchers analyzed 100 biopsies from patients with
early stage breast cancer along with 30 samples of healthy tissue taken
from the area of the breast adjacent to the tumor. EBV was found in 51
of the 100 biopsies while only three of the 30 healthy samples contained
the virus. "There was a statistically significant difference in the
detection of EBV DNA between the malignant and healthy tissue, strongly
suggesting that EBV is largely restricted to the tumor," said study co-author
Irene Joab, PhD, of The French Institute of Health and Medical Research
(INSERM) in Paris.
Because the virus was more frequently associated with the most aggressive
tumors, it may play some part in their development, according to the researchers.
They observed that the EBV infection was associated with lymph node invasion,
which suggests the infection may be related to the high potential of the
tumor to spread.
In recent years, studies have suggested the virus plays a role in the
development of cancers including Hodgkin’s disease, B-cell lymphoma, and
cancers of the nose and throat. EBV is a very common virus that infects
nine out of 10 people worldwide. Most people infected with the virus have
no symptoms.
In an accompanying editorial, authors Ian Magrath, MD, and Kishor Bhatia,
PhD, of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) wrote, "If EBV does prove to
play a role in the development of breast cancer, there would be strong
grounds for speeding up the development of an EBV vaccine."
Debbie Saslow, PhD, director of breast and cervical cancer for the American
Cancer Society (ACS), said the French study points to a need for more research
into the nature of the link between breast cancer and EBV. "At this point,
the study does not suggest any causal relationship between the virus and
cancer," she said.
Dr. Joab said research is already under way to find out if the virus
is causing tumor growth. Research into EBV also could help with choosing
treatment and predicting cancer outcomes, she said.
The ACS estimates 175,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer
this year in the US, and about 43,700 women will die of the disease.
ACS News Center stories are provided as a source of cancer-related
news and are not intended to be used as
press releases.
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