Comparative analysis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and PD-L1 expression in adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus

• Grant number: 19/08456-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal researcher: Ulysses Ribeiro Júnior
• Grantee: Mateus Barradas Ribeiro
• Home Institution: Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo Octavio Frias de Oliveira (ICESP). Coordenadoria de Serviços de Saúde (CSS). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Esophageal cancer is a globally distributed disease, being the 8th most common cause of cancer, with an estimated 10,790 new cases of esophageal cancer in 2018 in Brazil alone. Esophageal neoplasms can be divided histologically into two main types: Adenocarcinoma (ACC) and Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC), presenting different epidemiology and risk factors. In the last years, the molecular characterization of the tumors allowed a better distinction between the different tumors, being possible a better phenotype-prognostic correlation. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a gamma-type herpes virus with tropism by lymphoid and epithelial cells, being responsible for different lymphoproliferative and neoplastic syndromes, however, in the case of esophageal cancer, there are still divergences in the literature about this relation. For gastric cancers, there was an increase in PD-L1 expression in EBV (+) tumors, that is, with a possible response to immunotherapy. In this scenario, the present study seeks to clarify the relationship between Epstein-Barr virus infection and its relation to PD-L1 expression, both in ACC and esophageal CEC, relating these data to prognostic and survival factors.