The clinical significance of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The aim of the study was to determine the clinical significance of EBV DNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Newly diagnosed patients with NHL were enrolled in the study (n = 328), and clinical data retrospectively analyzed. EBV DNA was detectable in 34.8% of patients, and the positivity rate was 51.6% for T/NK cell subtype and 24.3% for B cell subtype (p < .001). In diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTL), peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise classified (PTCL.NOS), or angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL), positive EBV DNA before treatment was associated with more risk factors with prognostic significance, including older age, advanced stage, extranodal involvement, bone marrow infiltration, elevated LDH, and B symptoms, and with poor prognosis.