Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor (MPNST) Development During MEK Inhibitor Treatment: A Pre-Clinical Study and a Clinical Case Series

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ID: 320861
2026
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Abstract
Abstract Background People with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are at risk of developing benign and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST). In NF1, the overall lifetime risk of MPNST is estimated at 8%–13%, with increased risk associated with specific germline mutations and larger benign tumor burden. Selumetinib, a mitogen activiating protein kinase kinase inhibitor (MEKi) was the first FDA-approved therapy for children with inoperable, symptomatic benign nerve sheath tumors known as plexiform neurofibromas (PN). While clinical and pre-clinical studies indicate that MEKi monotherapy is unlikely an effective treatment for MPNST, the potential impact of long-term MEKi therapy on the risk of malignant transformation of benign PN is not yet known. Methods We evaluated the impact of selumetinib on the development of MPNST in a pre-clinical orthotopic mouse model of Nf1-Arf mutant Schwann cells. In addition, we analyzed MPNST development on our phase 1/2 clinical trial of selumetinib for PN (NCT01362803). Results In the pre-clinical mouse model, selumetinib did not accelerate the development or growth of MPNST. On the selumetinib clinical trial, 4 of 99 participants developed an MPNST either during or shortly after treatment. All were at increased risk for developing MPNST based on large PN tumor burden, NF1 microdeletion, or presence of a pre-malignant atypical neurofibroma prior to starting selumetinib treatment. Conclusions While these findings do not indicate acceleration of MPNST development on selumetinib, patients receiving MEKi for PN, in particular those with high risk features, remain at risk for malignant transformation and should be monitored accordingly.
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Authors Andrea M. Gross, Steven D Rhodes, Anne Dufek, Eva Dombi, Andrea Baldwin, John Shern, R Taylor Sundby, Xiyuan Zhang, Melike Pekmezci, D Wade Clapp, Joseph G. Pressey, Brian Weiss, Miriam Bornhorst, AeRang Kim, Michael J Fisher, Brigitte C. Widemann
Journal Neuro-Oncology Advances
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/noajnl/vdag180
URL
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