Frequency of Epstein Barr Virus in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma biopsies in Mazandaran and Golestan provinces in 2008

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignancies in a few region of northern Iran (Mazandaran and Golestan). Epstein Bar Virus (EBV) infection is an important cause of many human malignancies including Burkett's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease. EBV has also been associated with nasopharyngeal and gastric cancers. The aim of this study was todetermine the prevalence of EBV in biopsy sections obtained from patients with ESCC in Mazandaran and Golestan provinces in 2008. This was a cross-section descriptive study on 40 surgical specimens of clinically and pathologically confirmed esophageal cancer. DNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded blocks using a commercial DNA extraction kit. EBV-DNA was amplified by using EBV-sequence specific primers using polymerase chain reaction. DNA amplification product was revealed by electrophoresis on 1% agarose gel. The biopsy sections were belonged to 22 (55%) male and 18 (45%) female patients. We found EBV in 4 (10%) of 40 specimens. Three (13.2%) of 4 EBV-positive biopsies denoted to males and the only one (5.5%) was female. Identification of EBV in 10% of esophageal cancer biopsies, might suggests a role of EBV in ESCC in Northern Iran.