title: Viruses and human brain tumors:  cytomegalovirus enters the fray.
abstract: Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Overall survival rates have improved in recent years as a result of risk-stratified treatment regimens. However, medulloblastoma remains associated with substantial mortality, and survivors often experience debilitating neurological, endocrinological, and social sequelae as a result of treatment. Targeted and less toxic therapeutic strategies are therefore needed. In this issue of the JCI, Baryawno et al. report their findings that a large percentage of primary medulloblastomas and medulloblastoma cell lines are infected with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and suggest that targeting this virus could provide a new way to treat individuals with medulloblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. cynthia.hawkins@sickkids.ca
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Sidney
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Croul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000821:virology*