MEDICAL CENTER, Science Magazine Vol 323, 2 Jan. 2009.

Cobbs believes the Glioblastoma multiforme (the most dangerous brain tumor, that kills 97% of those diagnosed within 5 years) may be caused or at least spurred on by cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common herpesvirus. An interesting suspicion, which is supported by several of Cobbs` studies. He could demonstrate that 90% of examined Gliobastoma samples are positive with CMV DNA. However, this finding is not 100% convincing as it has not been shown that CMV transforms healthy cells into cancerous cells. At the Karolinska Institute, Söderberg-Nauclér and colleagues have just completed a two-year trial with Valcyte (an antiviral drug) treatment of Glioblastoma diagnosed patients. These results have not been published yet. It would be a breakthrough if the treatment with an anti-CMV drug prolonged the five-year actuarial survival rate significantly.