Association between classical Hodgkin's lymphoma and Epstein-Barr virus infection in Northern Chinese Han population / 中国肿瘤临床

ABSTRACT

Objective:The occurrence of numerous tumors, particularly classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (CHL), is related with Ep-stein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. However, the incidence of CHL and its association with EBV varies significantly with ethnicity, geo-graphic location, sex, and age. This study investigated the association of EBV infection with CHL in Northern Chinese Han population. Methods:EBV-encoded small RNA (EBER) was detected in 136 cases of CHL through in situ hybridization. Results:A total of 37 cas-es were EBER positive (28%). The mixed cellularity (MC) subtype had the highest positive EBER rate of 49%(23/47;P<0.001), fol-lowed by lymphocyte-rich subtype with 30%(3/10), nodular sclerosis (NS) subtype with 14%(10/73), and 1ymphocyte depletion with 0%(0/2). Our study identified a single age distribution in the third decade. Moreover, NS subtype showed an evident single peak in the third decade. However, MC subtype had a lower peak in the fifth decade. The incidence of EBER showed a bimodal age distribution with two peaks in the first and fifth decades (21.6%and 24.3%, respectively). Conclusion:CHL in Northern Chinese Han population was associated with EBV infection, particularly the MC subtype.