Unlikely role of Epstein-Barr virus in the pathogenesis of primary cutaneous CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Background: Primary cutaneous CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a rare subset of cutaneous lymphoma, with a much better prognosis than its nodal counterpart. The pathogenesis of both nodal and primary cutaneous CD30+ ALCL is largely unknown but experimental data support the hypothesis that the Epstein-Barr virus could play a role in the nodal subset.

Objective: To evaluate the involvement of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) in primary cutaneous CD30+ ALCL by searching for both nucleic acids and EBV proteins in cutaneous lesions.

Methods: Two University Hospitals in Southern France (secondary referral hospitals). Methods: Eight consecutive patients with typical primary cutaneous CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma were studied. Methods: Search for the presence of DNA, RNA and EBV proteins in cutaneous lesions by PCR, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry.

Results: EBV DNA and RNA was identified in only one lesion of primary cutaneous CD30+ ALCL and in none of the normal adjacent skin samples. In situ hybridization and immunohistological studies were consistently negative in all samples.

Conclusions: These results do not support an early role of EBV in the oncogenetic pathogenesis of primary cutaneous CD30+ ALCL.