1. Hepatocellular lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma associated with epstein barr virus: a hitherto unrecognized entity
- Author
-
Jaime Furman, Paola DalCin, Michael W Si, John A. Thorson, and Gregory Lauwers
- Subjects
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma ,Adult ,Liver Cirrhosis ,Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ,Herpesvirus 4, Human ,Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ,Gene Dosage ,Biology ,medicine.disease_cause ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Virus ,Pathology and Forensic Medicine ,hemic and lymphatic diseases ,medicine ,Carcinoma ,EBV Positive ,Lymphoid stroma ,Humans ,Molecular Biology ,In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ,Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 ,Liver Neoplasms ,Cell Biology ,medicine.disease ,Epstein–Barr virus ,Virology ,Immunohistochemistry ,Liver Transplantation ,Tumor Virus Infections ,Lymphatic Metastasis ,Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ,Female ,Undifferentiated carcinoma ,Lymphoepithelioma-Like Hepatocellular Carcinoma - Abstract
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is an undifferentiated carcinoma with a dense lymphoid stroma. It has been reported in diverse organs and shows variable association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Only a few EBV positive cases have been observed in the hepatobiliary system, all of which were considered to be cholangiocarcinomas. We report a unique case of hepatocellular LELC arising in a cirrhotic liver with EBV demonstrated in the tumor cells.A 39-year-old Hispanic female underwent an orthotopic liver transplant for end stage liver disease secondary to chronic hepatitis C. A high-grade hepatocellular carcinoma with a dense lymphocytic infiltrate was found in the explant as well as in a portal lymph node. Three months posttransplant, the patient developed numerous hepatic nodules with enlarged periaortic and portacaval lymph nodes. Biopsy of the hepatic nodules showed a recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma devoid of a dense lymphocytic infiltrate. Both the primary and recurrent tumors were positive for EBV by molecular studies. The patient eventually expired from liver failure over a 6-week period.This case represents the first report of EBV-positive hepatocellular LELC. It is particularly interesting given the precipitous clinical outcome, which was possibly related to immunosuppresive therapy.
- Published
- 2004