An Overview of the Influence of EBV on the Outcome of Pediatric Patients with Neoplasia in one Center Experience
Abstract
Rationale. We live in a world in which we are surrounded by many organisms which influence our life. A good example is the Epstein Barr virus (EBV) which is spread worldwide, infecting over 90% of the adult general population. The tumoral range in which EBV is incriminated is large and with prospects to be modified: Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma etc.
Objective. In this paper we report the experience of one pediatric cancer center regarding the influence of the Epstein Barr virus on the outcome of the neoplasia.
Methods and Results. A retrospective consecutive study of 5 years, 2005-2010, included the clinical data, histology, stage of the disease, titer of specific antibodies for EBV, serological and imaging evaluations of the patients treated.
For our population of 35 patients, based on the data and their statistical analysis we identified a cut off value of IgG anti VCA significant for the response to chemotherapy.
Discussion. There are few data concerning the influence of EBV regarding the outcome of pediatric neoplasia. The published studies suggest a positive influence of EBV especially in Hodgkin’s disease mixed cellular subtype. In this study we identified a cut off value for IgG anti VCA antibody with statistical significance for the prognosis of the response to treatment.