title: No consistent relationship of glioblastoma incidence and cytomegalovirus seropositivity in whites, blacks, and Hispanics.
abstract: 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 cytomegalovirus (CMV). In one report, 80% of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme had detectable cytomegalovirus DNA in their peripheral blood, while sero-positive normal donors and other surgical patients did not exhibit detectable virus. However, another study reported that five glioblastoma patients showed no circulating CMV detected either with RT-PCR or blood culture.
  
  
  METHODS
  We utilized Cytomegalovirus Seroprevalence in the United States data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1988-2004. Glioblastoma Incidence Rates 2004-2008 by race and gender are from Cancer of the Brain and Other Nervous System - SEER Stat Fact Sheets (http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/brain.html). Statistical significance was determined from published 95% confidence intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CMV seroprevalence rates are not consistently related to glioblastoma incidence rates. CMV seroprevalence is significantly lower in whites than in blacks or Hispanics (Mexican Americans), while glioblastoma incidence is higher. However, both CMV seroprevalence and glioblastoma incidence are higher in Hispanics than in blacks. CMV seroprevalence rates are significantly higher in women, 55.5% (53.3-57.7, mean ± 95% CI) than men, 45.2% (42.4-48.0), although glioblastoma is more common in men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A possible CMV-glioblastoma association cannot be readily substantiated with CMV seropositivity rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Mount Sinai Medical Center Box 1236, New York 10029, USA. stevenlehrer@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lehrer
authors.forename: Sheryl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Lakshmi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramanathan
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rosenzweig
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Labombardi
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American