Considerable evidence has implicated Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) as one of the etiological agents responsible for certain cases of B cell lymphomas. The primary evidence for this is that EBV DNA sequences are often found in B cell malignancies. However, not all B cell lymphomas are thought to be caused by EBV.
EBV induced B cell lymphomas are most prevalent in immunocompromised patients. Fifty percent of B cell lymphomas in immunosuppressed patients contain EBV sequences. Conventional chemotherapy is often ineffective at treating B cell lymphomas. But reducing immunosuppression has sometimes resulted in a reversal of the B cell lymphoma. A few cases do respond to acyclovir treatment.
B-cell lymphomas in the immunodeficient host can appear in many parts of the body including the mediastinum, pleura, CNS (both brain and spinal cord), and abdominal and mesenteric chain. In the lung, they tend to spread extensively and may result in respiratory failure. In some cases, they do not spread in the lung and remain as solitary nodules. In immunocompetant individuals, EBV-associated lymphomas have occured in the brain.