Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in Gastric Cancers, with Special Reference to Gastric Cancer at a Young Age—A Pilot Study in Poland

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is a multi-factorial disease influenced by both genetic and environmental factors such as diet, obesity, radiation exposure, and infectious agents. Viral infections usually lead to chronic inflammation, which can initiate the development of cancers. To date, only a few studies have been published about Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in the context of the development of GC. In particular, research on the development of cancer among people under 45 years of age, including the impacts of EBV and HPV, is rare, and clear results have not been obtained. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of occurrence of EBV and HPV in GC, particularly in early-onset gastric cancer (EOGC). Tissue material from 135 patients with GC, including 84 men and 51 women, was examined. RT-PCR was performed to detect EBV, and PCR was performed to detect HPV. There were no significant impacts of EBV and HPV infections on any subtype of GC. There was also no statistically significant dependence of gender and location of the tumor on any subtype of GC. Further research on the impacts of infectious agents such as EBV and HPV on GC should be conducted using larger populations.