Sarcomas in Association with Human Herpesviral Infection

In the recent years, two lymphotropic gamma herpesvirus, HHV8 and EBV have been identified as the causative agents of lymphoproliferative disorders and lymphomas, in complication with immunocompromised status due to the infection Human Immunodeficient Virus (HIV) or immune suppressing therapy after organ transplant. Some of the transforming and proliferation promoting genomic products coded by the two herpeviruses causes malignant transformation of the lymphocytes similar with the immortalization process to convert B cells into lymphoblastoid cell lines in culture. The two herpesviruses are associated with other malignancies than hematopoietic tumors. EBV and HHV 8 play a pathogenic role in the genesis of Kaposi's sarcoma and leiomyesarcoma, respectively. This suggests that in immune deficient persons, opportunistic tumors other than lymphomas can be caused by the lymphotropic herpesviruses.