Epstein-Barr Virus closely associated with Gastric Cancer: AGA

Written By : Jacinthlyn Sylvia |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2022-08-29T20:00:35+05:30 | Updated On 29 Aug 2022 8:00 PM IST

A new study conducted by Mayo Hirabayashi and colleagues showed that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was connected to a significant fraction of stomach malignancies globally. The findings of this study were published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Growing data suggests that the common gamma herpes virus, which frequently causes mononucleosis, may also play a role in the etiology of gastric cancer. Gastric cancer, the fourth most prevalent and lethal disease in the world, caused more than a million new cases and 770,000 fatalities in 2020.

According to evidence, the Epstein-Barr virus, a recognized carcinogen, may be the etiological cause of certain new occurrences of stomach cancer. This investigation was carried out in order to comprehensively investigate the percentage of EBV-positive stomach cancers.

Between January 1990 and August 2021, a systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42020164473) was carried out. The combined prevalence and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of EBV in gastric tumors for the three subtypes of gastric adenocarcinoma—conventional lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma (LELC), adenocarcinoma, and remnant/stump carcinoma—were calculated for every nation and region for which data were available. Prevalence ratios (PRs) for sex, Lauren's categorization, gastric cancer stage, and anatomical location of the stomach were shown for conventional adenocarcinoma.

The key findings of this study were:

1. EBV prevalence in tumor cells was 7.5% in 220 studies that were eligible and included approximately 68 000 instances of conventional gastric adenocarcinoma.

2. It was greater in men than in women, in diffuse types compared to intestinal types, and in proximal regions compared to distal regions.

3. By stage of gastric cancer, there was no variation in EBV prevalence.

4. The frequency of EBV was 26.3% in remnant/stump cancer and 75.9% in LELC.

In conclusion, in the event that there is a causal link between EBV and stomach cancer, our data imply that primary preventive measures, such as the creation of a potent EBV vaccine, might save 81 000 instances of EBV-associated gastric cancer per year around the world.

Reference:

Hirabayashi, M., Georges, D., Clifford, G. M., & de Martel, C. (2022). Estimating the global burden of Epstein-Barr virus associated gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. In Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2022.07.042

gastric cancerEpstein-Barr virusClinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Source : Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Jacinthlyn Sylvia

Neuroscience Masters graduate

Jacinthlyn Sylvia, a Neuroscience Master's graduate from Chennai has worked extensively in deciphering the neurobiology of cognition and motor control in aging. She also has spread-out exposure to Neurosurgery from her Bachelor’s. She is currently involved in active Neuro-Oncology research. She is an upcoming neuroscientist with a fiery passion for writing. Her news cover at Medical Dialogues feature recent discoveries and updates from the healthcare and biomedical research fields. She can be reached at editorial@medicaldialogues.in

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751