Valcyte

Property	Information
Drug Name	Valganciclovir (Valcyte)
FDA Approval	Yes (for CMV infections)
Used for	Investigational use in glioblastoma due to potential effects against CMV positive tumors
Clinical Trial Phase	Investigational, including early clinical trials
Clinical Trial Explanation	Not specified
Common Side Effects	Includes diarrhea, nausea, neutropenia, potential for increased risk of birth defects
OS without	Median survival with standard treatment: 17.4 months
OS with	Post-hoc analysis with at least six months of Valcyte use: median survival of 24 months, 4-year survival of 27%
PFS without	Not specified
PFS with	Not directly specified; improvements noted in selected patient analyses
Usefulness Rating	3
Usefulness Explanation	Not specified
Toxicity Level	2
Toxicity Explanation	The drug Valganciclovir (Valcyte) has a relatively low toxicity level. This is measured on a scale between 1 and 5, with 1 being the least toxic and 5 the most toxic. While Valganciclovir is approved by the FDA, it is currently used for the treatment of CMV infections, and its use for glioblastoma is still investigational. Its common side effects include diarrhea, nausea, and neutropenia, which is a lower-than-normal count of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that helps fight off infections. It also has a potential risk for causing birth defects. The toxicity rating takes into account these potential side effects and the current state of research on its use in treating glioblastoma.

Notes: Valganciclovir, an anti-CMV drug, has been explored for glioblastoma treatment due to the majority of these tumors being positive for CMV proteins. Initial studies suggest a possible therapeutic benefit, especially with long-term use, but results require further validation through rigorously designed clinical trials to conclusively determine efficacy and optimal usage in glioblastoma treatment.

From Ben Williams Book: Not specified

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