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The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encoded RNA 1/2 (EBER1/2) transcripts were absent in preneoplastic gastric lesions but present in gastric carcinomas of the intact stomach (GCIS) and gastric stump carcinoma (GSC). This suggests that EBV infects only neoplastic gastric cells and thus is a late event in gastric carcinogenesis.

Familial adenomatous polyposis is an inherited disorder characterized by the occurrence of many adenomas (tumors) in the colon and rectum during adolescence and young adulthood. Most individuals with this condition must undergo prophylactic removal of the colon (colectomy) to prevent the otherwise almost inevitable development of colorectal cancer before the age of 50. Familial adenomatous polyposis is frequently associated with nongastrointestinal symptoms such as retinal disorders, benign soft tissue and bony tumors, nonintestinal lesions, and various types of cancer. To evaluate the utility of using two of these nongastrointestinal markers (occult radiopaque jaw lesions, a disorder of bone development, and retinal lesions) in the diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis, a study was carried out involving 43 affected patients and 12 unaffected first-degree relatives from 24 families with a history of polyposis. Seventy-seven percent of the patients with polyposis were positive for both of the nongastrointestinal markers. Only eight percent of the unaffected first-degree relatives were positive for both markers. The predictive value of both markers was significantly greater than for either one alone. Patients who exhibit both of the indices correlated with familial adenomatous polyposis should be evaluated with particular care to determine whether a prophylactic colectomy should be performed, inasmuch as they have a high probability of developing both polyposis and, at a more advanced age, colorectal cancer. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)