Multiplex PCR/mass spectrometry screening of biological carcinogenic agents in human mammary tumors

• We analyzed the prevalence of 30 oncogenic HPVs, EBV, KSHV and polyomaviruses.
• Our results support an etiologic role for EBV in breast cancer pathogenesis.
• We developed a 10-plex analysis of six polyomaviruses, EBV and KSHV.

BackgroundWhile many studies have suggested a possible link between breast cancer pathogenesis and infection by viruses, the role of viruses in breast carcinogenesis remains controversial.ObjectivesWe analyzed the prevalence of 30 oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPVs), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), Kaposi's sarcoma herpes virus (KSHV) and six polyomaviruses in breast tumor specimens.Study designWe analyzed breast specimens from 100 breast cancer patients (group 1) and 50 benign breast disease patients (group 2) from Shaanxi Province in China. We also screened for the viruses in blood samples from the patients and 96 female blood donor volunteers (group 3).ResultsEBV, Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and HPV-18 were detected in 60, 14 and 2 breast cancer patients, respectively, and EBV and MCPyV were detected in 16 and 1 benign breast disease patients, respectively. EBV and MCPyV were more prevalent in group 1 than in group 2 (EBV: 60.0% vs. 32.0%, p = 0.0012; MCPyV: 14.0% vs. 2.0%; p = 0.02). In contrast, there was no difference in the prevalence of EBV and MCPyV in blood samples between group 1 and group 2, group 1 and group 3. EBV was detected in malignant breast tissue and its presence was confined to the malignant cells using in situ hybridization.ConclusionsWe found that EBV and MCPyV were more prevalent in the tumors of women with breast cancer than in samples from women with benign breast disease.Our results support an etiologic role for EBV in breast cancer pathogenesis in Chinese patients.