Medulloblastoma is among the most common pediatric brain tumors and despite rising survival rates, the cancer still has poor prognosis and over the long-term, survivors face difficulties brought on by the aggressive treatment.
Recent research out of Scandinavia however suggests there may be a common potential treatment target in patients with medulloblastoma—the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), as it is common for a patient's tumor cell line to be infected with this virus. Additionally, the tumor cells express HCMV proteins, an expression caused by the COX-2 protein with the cell, offering a pair of potential treatment targets.
Researchers have discovered that the antiviral drug valganciclovir actually works to shrink human medulloblastoma tumor cell growth—but these studies have only been carried out in the lab on in a limited role in mice.
Further Reading
Baryawno N et al. Detection of human cytomegalovirus in medulloblastomas reveals a potential therapeutic target. J Clin Invest. doi:10.1172/JCI57147.
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