Immunohistochemical study of Human Papilloma Virus and Epstein–Barr virus in patients with lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Abstract

Introduction. Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) of the uterine cervix is a rare type of squamous cell carcinoma (SSC). It differs from the usual SSC of the cervix in its morphology and clinical behavior and shows a better prognosis than the more common SSC of the cervix. It is considered that LELC is associated with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection in Asian and with human papilloma virus (HPV) or no infection in Caucasian patients. The aim of the study was to confirm whether or not LELC is more common in Caucasian patients with EBV/HPV infection or whether there is no correlation to the previous viral exposure. Material and methods. A retrospective research has been done on 775 female patients for a period of 8 years, who have been operated for cervical cancer in the Onco-gynecological Department of UMHAT “Doctor Georgi Stranski”-Pleven, Bulgaria. A group of 16 women with LELC has been identified by clinical data. Morphologically, 13 of them have been examined by routine histological and immunohistochemical tests, for assessment of the viral status, with monoclonal antibodies against EBV/HPV by DAKO protocol. Results. Two of the women have been proven to have EBV, tree-HPV infection and two – both viruses. In the other six cases no viral infections have been identified. Conclusion. Our results show a stronger correlation between LELC in Caucasian women and a previous HPV infection or no viral infection, rather than association with EBV infection.

Keywords

• lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma
• human papilloma virus
• epstein–barr virus
• immunohistochemistry