Frontiers in Medicine (Jun 2023)

Case report: Regression of Glioblastoma after flavivirus infection

  • Patricia P. Garcez,
  • André Guasti,
  • André Guasti,
  • Nina Ventura,
  • Nina Ventura,
  • Luiza Mendonça Higa,
  • Luiza Mendonça Higa,
  • Felipe Andreiuolo,
  • Gabriella Pinheiro A. de Freitas,
  • Liane de Jesus Ribeiro,
  • Richard Araújo Maia,
  • Sheila Maria Barbosa de Lima,
  • Adriana de Souza Azevedo,
  • Waleska Dias Schwarcz,
  • Elena Cristina Caride,
  • Leila Chimelli,
  • Luiz Gustavo Dubois,
  • Luiz Gustavo Dubois,
  • Orlando da Costa Ferreira Júnior,
  • Orlando da Costa Ferreira Júnior,
  • Amilcar Tanuri,
  • Amilcar Tanuri,
  • Vivaldo Moura-Neto,
  • Vivaldo Moura-Neto,
  • Paulo Niemeyer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1192070
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

Read online

Glioblastoma is the most frequent and aggressive primary brain cancer. In preclinical studies, Zika virus, a flavivirus that triggers the death of glioblastoma stem-like cells. However, the flavivirus oncolytic activity has not been demonstrated in human patients. Here we report a glioblastoma patient who received the standard of care therapy, including surgical resection, radiotherapy and temozolomide. However, shortly after the tumor mass resection, the patient was clinically diagnosed with a typical arbovirus-like infection, during a Zika virus outbreak in Brazil. Following the infection resolution, the glioblastoma regressed, and no recurrence was observed. This clinical response continues 6 years after the glioblastoma initial diagnosis.

Keywords