Janković, Marko (57218194970)Marko (57218194970)JankovićKnežević, Aleksandra (22034890600)Aleksandra (22034890600)KneževićTodorović, Milena (23010544100)Milena (23010544100)TodorovićĐunić, Irena (57799268000)Irena (57799268000)ĐunićMihaljević, Biljana (6701325767)Biljana (6701325767)MihaljevićSoldatović, Ivan (35389846900)Ivan (35389846900)SoldatovićProtić, Jelena (57205668314)Jelena (57205668314)ProtićMiković, Nevenka (56002291400)Nevenka (56002291400)MikovićStoiljković, Vera (57200788316)Vera (57200788316)StoiljkovićJovanović, Tanja (26642921700)Tanja (26642921700)Jovanović2025-07-022025-07-022022https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-022-01884-1https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85138912793&doi=10.1186%2fs12985-022-01884-1&partnerID=40&md5=6ddf61a8d24ebc8e02ed89a249111fabhttps://remedy.med.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/12031Background: Although cytomegalovirus (CMV) is not considered tumorigenic, there is evidence for its oncomodulatory effects and association with hematological neoplasms. Conversely, a number of experimental and clinical studies suggest its putative anti-tumour effect. We investigated the potential connection between chronic CMV infection in patients with B-lymphocyte (B-cell) malignancies in a retrospective single-center study and extracted relevant data on CMV prevalences and the incidences of B-cell cancers the world over. Methods: In the clinical single-center study, prevalence of chronic CMV infection was compared between patients with B-cell leukemia/lymphoma and the healthy controls. Also, global data on CMV seroprevalences and the corresponding country-specific incidences of B- lineage neoplasms worldwide were investigated for potential correlations. Results: Significantly higher CMV seropositivity was observed in control subjects than in patients with B-cell malignancies (p = 0.035). Moreover, an unexpected seroepidemiological evidence of highly significant inverse relationship between country-specific CMV prevalence and the annual incidence of B-cell neoplasms was noted across the populations worldwide (ρ = −0.625, p < 0.001). Conclusions: We try to draw attention to an unreported interplay between CMV infection and B-cell lymphomagenesis in adults. A large-scale survey across > 70 countries disclosed a link between CMV and B-cell neoplasms. Our evidence hints at an antagonistic effect of chronic CMV infection against B-lymphoproliferation. © 2022, The Author(s).B-cell malignanciesCytomegalovirusGlobalOncoprotectionSeroprevalence