Hepatobiliary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma associated with Epstein-Barr virus

We describe the clinical and pathologic features of a lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) that originated in the hepatobiliary system. A woman, aged 71 years, was first seen with a noncholangiolar adenocarcinoma with lymphoid stroma, which was discovered by open liver biopsy in 1993. In 1995, retroperitoneal and peripancreatic lymph nodes were involved by LELC. There currently is no evidence of distant metastasis outside the hepatobiliary peripancreatic region. Review of the biopsy material revealed a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma with transition into LELC. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transcripts were expressed in all histologic phases of the tumor by in situ hybridization using immunoalkaline phosphatase-labeled oligonucleotide probes for EBV-encoded RNA 1 on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections. Polymerase chain reaction analysis for EBV nuclear antigen 2 was consistent with EBV strain type A. The LMP-1 gene was found to be wild type by polymerase chain reaction analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a primary hepatobiliary adenocarcinoma associated with EBV infection that transformed into an undifferentiated LELC.