In Situ Detection of Epstein-Barr Virus in Breast Cancer

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is strongly associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and some lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas from other anatomic sites. This study investigates the presence of (E) over dot BV in breast cancer. Immunohistochemistry for EBV proteins (EBV nuclear antigen-2 and latent membrane protein-1) and in situ hybridization for EBV-encoded small nuclear RNAs (EBER-1 and -2) were performed in 60 invasive breast cancers . None of the 60 breast cancer samples showed detectable EBV. These results suggest that EBV may not play a significant role in the etioloy of breast cancers in Taiwan. Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.