Management of cytomegalovirus infection in a patient with malignant glioma treated with temozolomide and steroids

Abstract

Temozolomide (TMZ) is the standard chemotherapy treatment for glioblastoma. Lymphocytopenia is reported to be the most frequent and severe adverse effect of TMZ and leads to opportunistic infections. Few cases of TMZ-induced cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation have so far been reported, and there are no guidelines regarding the use of chemotherapy after recovery from CMV reactivation. We herein report the case of a 45-year-old man with glioblastoma who developed CMV hepatitis following surgery and chemoradiotherapy with concomitant TMZ and steroids. After successful treatment of the CMV infection with an antiviral agent and recovery from the lymphocytopenia were achieved, the patient resumed maintenance therapy with TMZ under careful monitoring of his lymphocyte count and CMV pp65 antigenemia level.