Development of EBV-encoded small RNA targeted PCR to classify EBV positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the elderly

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the elderly has been included in the 2008 WHO classification of lymphoma as a new provisional entity. EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly is newly classified due to the main occurrence usually in patients of older than 50-year-old. This study was performed in 91 DLBCL patients from January 2002 to December 2012 in Catholic university of St. Vincent Hospital. Age distribution of the patients was 14 similar to 87-year-old. Specimens were collected from lymph nodes (n = 45) and extra-lymph nodes (n = 46). EBV encoded small RNA1 in situ hybridization (EBER1-ISH) known as a standard method for the diagnosis of DLBCL. In this study, nested PCR of DNA polymerase gene and EBER PCR were conducted to detect EBV. Presence of EBV was indicated in 3 samples (3.30%) by EBER-ISH, 26 samples (28.57%) by nPCR, and 3 samples (3.30%) by EBER PCR. The concordant results were obtained from EBER1-ISH and EBER PCR. Two samples were classified as EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly among 91 DLBCL patients. Previously, the incidence rate of DLBCL of the elderly in Asia has been reported as 5 similar to 11%, but the result in this study showed a slightly lower incidence rate. To our knowledge, this is the first report on EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly in Suwon area, Korea. EBER1-ISH and EBER PCR developed in this study may be helpful in classification of EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly in future.