Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Smooth Muscle Tumor in the Liver Post Kidney Transplant: A Case Report

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is one of the most common causes of infection from the herpes virus family which also possesses oncogenic potential. EBV-associated smooth muscle tumors (EBV-SMT) are often found in the CNS but here we present the case of a 50-year-old woman with EBV-SMT in the liver. This patient had a kidney transplant in 2009 and had been undergoing immunosuppressive therapy to support her transplant. Subsequent imaging found a liver mass which was not seen on previous imaging. The biopsy revealed an EBV-SMT. The exact pathophysiology of EBV-SMT is not clear though it is believed to involve the reactivation of latent infection through mTOR pathways. Treatment of such masses includes reducing immunomodulating pharmacotherapy though no established management guidelines exist.