Pathogenesis of Epstein-Barr Virus-associated Epithelial Cancers: Molecular and Clinical Perspectives

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was the first human tumor virus to be discovered and is now classified as a Group I carcinogen. EBV is the most common persistent viral infection in humans and more than 90% of the world’s adult population are life-long asymptomatic carriers of EBV. EBV resides in memory B cells of healthy individuals and the disruption of this unique interaction can result in B cell malignancies. The role of EBV in human cancers has been studied extensively, however, its precise contribution to the pathogenesis of epithelial cancers, such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and EBV-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC), remains to be fully elucidated. Although relatively rare, EBV is also consistently associated with lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas (LELCs) of the salivary gland, thymus, lung, and intrahepatic biliary epithelium, implying that an immune microenvironment facilitates the oncogenic properties of EBV in undifferentiated carcinomas. With the advances in -omic technology, recent discoveries have not only provided a better understanding of the molecular basis of these diseases but also begun to shape the focus of therapy development.

This Research Topic seeks to synthesize new knowledge of EBV's contribution to the pathogenesis of epithelial cancers and how this affects clinical behavior and management. In doing so, it will bring together emerging new themes in EBV biology, while at the same time attempting to define the important outstanding research questions in the field. Authors are invited to contribute to this collection with Original Research, Review articles, Opinion articles, Case Reports focusing on the role of EBV in the pathogenesis of epithelial malignancies.