IADR Abstract Archives
Association Between EBV Infection and Risk Factors in OSCC Patients
Objectives: Oncogenic viruses such as Human papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) have been linked to a subset of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), especially in patients who have no traditional risk factors for OSCC development. This study aimed to investigate the EBV infection in OSCC cases, as well as the association between risk-factor status and the presence of EBV, in Thai patients with OSCC.
Methods: Twelve formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens of OSCC from patients with no traditional risk factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption, and betel nut chewing), as well as twelve FFPE specimens of OSCC from sex-matched patients with risk factors, were retrospectively obtained. DNA extraction was performed; this was followed by polymerase chain reaction analysis to determine EBV DNA status, using primers specific for the LMP-1 gene. Clinicopathological information for all cases, including patient age, sex, tumor location, and histological grading, was collected. Statistical analysis was performed using McNemar's test. p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Results: Of the 24 OSCC specimens, six (25%) exhibited EBV DNA. Regarding the risk-factor status of patients with OSCC, four of twelve (33.33%) OSCC cases with no traditional risk factors and two of twelve (16.67%) OSCC cases with risk factors exhibited EBV DNA. However, no significant association between risk-factor status and EBV presence could be established in this group of OSCC patients.
Conclusions: The prevalence of EBV presence was 25% in this group of OSCC patients; no association between risk-factor status and EBV presence was identified. Further studies with a larger sample size are required to clarify this notion.
Methods: Twelve formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens of OSCC from patients with no traditional risk factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption, and betel nut chewing), as well as twelve FFPE specimens of OSCC from sex-matched patients with risk factors, were retrospectively obtained. DNA extraction was performed; this was followed by polymerase chain reaction analysis to determine EBV DNA status, using primers specific for the LMP-1 gene. Clinicopathological information for all cases, including patient age, sex, tumor location, and histological grading, was collected. Statistical analysis was performed using McNemar's test. p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Results: Of the 24 OSCC specimens, six (25%) exhibited EBV DNA. Regarding the risk-factor status of patients with OSCC, four of twelve (33.33%) OSCC cases with no traditional risk factors and two of twelve (16.67%) OSCC cases with risk factors exhibited EBV DNA. However, no significant association between risk-factor status and EBV presence could be established in this group of OSCC patients.
Conclusions: The prevalence of EBV presence was 25% in this group of OSCC patients; no association between risk-factor status and EBV presence was identified. Further studies with a larger sample size are required to clarify this notion.