Prevalence of Epstein-barr Virus (EBV) among Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma from Ahvaz, Iran: A Case-Control Study

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), one of the most significant causes of lymphoid and epithelial cancers, has been linked to oral carcinogenesis; however, this etiological association remains controversial. To investigate this association, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of EBV in cancerous and non-cancerous oral tissues from Ahvaz, Iran. In total, ۱۶۴ blocks of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), including ۷۶ tongue squamous cell carcinomas and ۸۸ non-cancerous tongue tissues, were collected from Ahvaz Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran, from December ۲۰۱۴ to March ۲۰۱۹, for this case-control study. The tissues were cut into ۱۵-μm-thick sections, and DNA was extracted using a solution of Phenol, Chloroform, and Isoamyl Alcohol. The EBV detection and typing were performed using nested polymerase chain reaction. The EBV was detected in ۹ (۵.۴۸%) out of the ۱۶۴ samples studied, including ۴ (۵.۲۶%) of the ۷۶ SCC cases and ۵ (۵.۶۸%) of the ۸۸ samples in the control group (P>۰.۰۵). The EBV was positive in ۲.۴۰% of the ۸۳ male and ۸.۶% of the ۸۱ female samples (P>۰.۰۵). In terms of the histological grades of the case group, ۳ (۳/۵۷) and ۱ (۱/۱۳) of the EBV-positive samples were well and moderately differentiated, respectively (P>۰.۰۵). For EBV typing, the ۹ EBV-positive samples were tested, and it was found that ۲ and ۷ of the cases were EBV type I and II, respectively. Results of the current study demonstrated the low frequency of EBV in Iranian patients with OSCC, with EBV type II predominating. Further studies are required to clarify the association between EBV and OSCC.

Keywords:

Epstein-Barr virus , Oral squamous cell carcinoma , Nested polymerase chain reaction , PREVALENCE