Survival in Patients with Glioblastoma Receiving Valganciclovir

A retrospective analysis of selected patients with glioblastoma who received treatment for cytomegalovirus with their anticancer treatment showed surprisingly good 2-year survival. A randomized trial is needed. To the Editor: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA and proteins are expressed in several types of human cancers and metastases(1) but not in healthy surrounding tissues, suggesting a possible role for the virus in the cancer.(2) The malignant brain tumor glioblastoma has a dismal prognosis, with a median overall survival of 12 to 14 months and a 2-year survival of 15 to 26%. We examined more than 250 cases of glioblastoma (Fig. S1 in the Supplementary Appendix, available with the full text of this letter at NEJM.org). Of these patients, only 1 was CMV-negative. Of the 75 patients we evaluated, the median rate ...