title: No circulating cytomegalovirus in five patients with glioblastoma multiforme.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and most aggressive type of primary brain tumor, accounting for 52% of all primary brain tumor cases and 20% of all intracranial tumors. Recently, evidence for a viral cause has been postulated, possibly SV40 or more likely cytomegalovirus (CMV). One report indicated that 80% of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme have detectable cytomegalovirus DNA in their peripheral blood, while sero-positive normal donors and other surgical patients did not exhibit detectable virus.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the current study, we examined peripheral blood of 5 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme. Peripheral blood was collected in anticoagulated tubes from five patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme referred for radiation therapy. We used standard methods for detecting CMV by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and peripheral blood culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of our patients had circulating CMV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are four subtypes of glioblastoma. We hypothesize that circulating CMV might be limited to some, but not all of these subtypes, and that our failure to detect CMV might be attributed to the fact that none of these patients had the appropriate subtype or subtypes.
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Medical Center, Box 1236, New York 10029, USA. stevenlehrer@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lehrer
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Labombardi
authors.forename: Sheryl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Melissa S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Pessin-Minsley
authors.forename: Isabelle M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Germano
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Rosenzweig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult