Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern, led by Dr. Lu Le and Dr. Zhiguo Chen, have discovered that plexiform neurofibromas originate from Schwann cell precursors in embryonic nerve roots, a finding that could lead to new therapies for preventing the growth of these tumors.
This research has important implications for those with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), a type of soft-tissue cancer, as well. NF1 patients with plexiform neurofibromas have a 10 percent lifetime risk of developing MPNSTs. Dr. Le said determining the cell type and location from which plexiform neurofibromas and MPNSTs originate is an important step toward discovering new drug treatments to inhibit tumor development.
The Children’s Tumor Foundation has invested approximately $170,000 in the research conducted in Dr. Le’s lab; your fundraising at work!
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