A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Valganciclovir Therapy Prevents Human Cytomegalovirus Reactivation in Glioblastoma Patients Undergoing Radiochemotherapy and Extends Time to Tumor Progression; 
Authors: Pantalone, Mattia Russel; Stragliotto, Giuseppe; Martin-Almazan, Nerea; Peredo-Harvey, Inti; Jimenez-Macias, Jorge L.; Rahbar, Afsar; Lawler, Sean; Bartek, Jiri; Soderberg-Naucler, Cecilia
Publisher: MDPI
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Cancers
Article number: 1575
Volume: 18
Issue: 10
eISSN: 2072-6694
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18101575
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/18/10/1575
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/526615633
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Background: Emerging evidence suggests that antiviral treatment targeting human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may improve outcomes in patients with glioblastoma (GBM). In this study, we analyzed serological data from the placebo-controlled VIGAS1 trial (Eudra number 2006-002022-29), which assessed the effect of valganciclovir (VGCV) on GBM progression in 42 patients, for impact of VGCV in preventing HCMV reactivation.
Methods: VIGAS1 patients had undergone radical surgery and were randomized to receive either VGCV (n = 22) or placebo (n = 20) alongside standard radiochemotherapy. Blood was prospectively collected at baseline and 3-, 12- and 24-week follow-up visits. GBM cell lines and a cytomegalovirus-infected murine brain cancer model were used to validate the clinical findings.
Results: Over the 24-week study period, we found that HCMV reactivation, as inferred from IgM seropositivity, occurred in 58.3% of patients in the placebo group, whereas this was completely prevented in the VGCV-treated group except for one patient with no treatment compliance (p = 0.0005). HCMV reactivation was linked to early recurrence. IgG-positive patients treated with VGCV showed a significantly longer time to progression (TTP) than those receiving placebo (6.7 vs. 3.7 months, p = 0.0408). We found a significant association between higher steroid doses and enhanced reactivation in the placebo group. In vitro and murine studies confirmed that corticosteroids, combined with radiation therapy, enhanced cytomegalovirus reactivation, which was mitigated by antiviral treatment.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that preventing HCMV reactivation with antiviral therapy may improve patient outcomes, especially in HCMV-seropositive GBM patients, and further support the hypothesis that HCMV is a tumor-promoting virus.
Keywords:
cytomegalovirus, glioblastoma, valganciclovir
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Funding information in the publication:
This work was supported by grants from: The Research Council of Finland’s Flagship InFLAMES (337530 and 357910), Sigrid Jusélius Foundation (8167), Finnish Cultural foundation, University of Turku Graduate School (UTUGS), The Finnish Research Impact Foundation (FRIF, 687), The Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation (14-9436-31), Cancer Foundation Finland (69-7706), The Swedish Medical Research Council (2016-00484, 2019-01736, 2022-02724), Family Ehrling Persson’s Foundation, Sten A Olssons Foundation, BILTEMA Foundation and Family of Jochnich’s Foundation, The Danish Cancer Society (R322-A17482), The Novo Nordisk Foundation (0060590), The Swedish Research Council (VR-MH 2014-46602-117891-30), Cancerfonden (170176), Foundation Cure Cancer through a private donation from Professor Erna Möller, The Grant Agency of the Czech Ministry of Health (NU21-03-00195) and The Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF 125), National Cancer Institute R01-CA263324 and the Lundbeck Foundation in Denmark (project number R453-2024-326). The APC was funded by Karolinska Institutet.
