scholarly journals Surgical management of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Gachiani ◽  
Daniel Kim ◽  
Adriane Nelson ◽  
David Kline

Object The aim of this study was to describe the presentation of patients harboring soft tissue sarcomas involving the nerves, most of which were malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), and provide an algorithm for their treatment. Methods The authors retrospectively analyzed data on 43 surgically treated soft tissue sarcomas involving the nerves, 34 (79%) of which were MPNSTs. Tumor classifications are presented, together with patient numbers, locations of MPNSTs, surgical techniques, and adjunctive treatments. Results The 34 MPNSTs were surgically treated during a period of 40 years. Most of these lesions (19 MPNSTs [56%]) were located in the brachial plexus, whereas the rest were located on other major nerves. Neurofibromatosis Type 1–associated tumors (12 lesions) represented 35% of the total number of MPNSTs. Although the main goal of surgery was complete excision, it was successful in only 16 patients (47%). Of the available records, 18 patients (53%) died due to disease progression. Conclusions Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors are rare. Surgical removal with margins when possible coupled by adjuvant radiotherapy offers the best chance of survival. The role of chemotherapy is still being defined.

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apostolos Pourtsidis ◽  
Dimitrios Doganis ◽  
Margarita Baka ◽  
Despina Bouhoutsou ◽  
Maria Varvoutsi ◽  
...  

Purpose. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are rare in children and account for approximately 5–10% of all soft tissue sarcomas in adults. MPNSTs may occur independently but individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) have a significantly increased risk. Our aim is to present patients with MPNST treated in our department.Cases and Results. In this report we present 4 cases of MPNSTs (3 females: 13, 12, and 13 years old and 1 male: 10 years old) arising in patients with NF1. All of them presented with an enlarging mass and pain at diagnosis. Tumor was located in the buttock, the spinal cord, the trunk, and the left leg proximal to the heel. Wide excision of the tumor and radiotherapy were applied to all and adjuvant chemotherapy was given to three of them after the disease was progressed. All four died 32, 18, 10, and 22 months after diagnosis with progressive disease locally and pulmonary metastases in two of them.Conclusions. In conclusion, MPNSTs arising in patients with NF1 are high grade sarcomas with short survival. Individuals with NF1 should be followed closely in order to identify early the development of MPNSTs. Aggressive surgery and complete excision significantly improves disease-free survival. The usefulness of radiation therapy in MPNSTs is not determined although all patients will receive radiation therapy at some stage of the disease. The role of chemotherapy is unclear.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 2453-2462
Author(s):  
Enrico Martin ◽  
Uta E. Flucke ◽  
J. Henk Coert ◽  
Max M. van Noesel

Abstract Background Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are rare yet highly aggressive soft tissue sarcomas. Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) have a 10% lifetime risk for development of MPNST. Prognosis remains poor and survival seems worse for NF1 patients. Methods This narrative review highlights current practices and pitfalls in the management of MPNST in pediatric NF1 patients. Results Preoperative diagnostics can be challenging, but PET scans have shown to be useful tools. More recently, functional MRI holds promise as well. Surgery remains the mainstay treatment for these patients, but careful planning is needed to minimize postoperative morbidity. Functional reconstructions can play a role in improving functional status. Radiotherapy can be administered to enhance local control in selected cases, but care should be taken to minimize radiation effects as well as reduce the risk of secondary malignancies. The exact role of chemotherapy has yet to be determined. Reports on the efficacy of chemotherapy vary as some report lower effects in NF1 populations. Promisingly, survival seems to ameliorate in the last few decades and response rates of chemotherapy may increase in NF1 populations when administering it as part of standard of care. However, in metastasized disease, response rates remain poor. New systemic therapies are therefore desperately warranted and multiple trials are currently investigating the role of drugs. Targeted drugs are nevertheless not yet included in first line treatment. Conclusion Both research and clinical efforts benefit from multidisciplinary approaches with international collaborations in this rare malignancy.


Author(s):  
Marie-Noëlle Hébert-Blouin

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) are soft tissue sarcomas arising from a peripheral nerve or a pre-existing benign nerve sheath tumor or are sarcomas with features of Schwann-cell differentiation. Differentiating between benign and malignant PNSTs can be challenging. The chapter begins with a case example and then discusses assessment, investigations (including imaging), and diagnosis of malignant PNSTs, as well as the steps involved in decision-making about management of a malignant PNST. The surgical principles and goals for resection of a malignant PNST, the adjuvant therapies used in treatment, and the complications and outcomes of treatment are presented.


Children ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 38
Author(s):  
Samantha W. E. Knight ◽  
Tristan E. Knight ◽  
Teresa Santiago ◽  
Andrew J. Murphy ◽  
Abdelhafeez H. Abdelhafeez

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive soft tissue sarcomas (STS) with nerve sheath differentiation and a tendency to metastasize. Although occurring at an incidence of 0.001% in the general population, they are relatively common in individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), for whom the lifetime risk approaches 10%. The staging of MPNSTs is complicated and requires close multi-disciplinary collaboration. Their primary management is most often surgical in nature, with non-surgical modalities playing a supportive, necessary role, particularly in metastatic, invasive, or widespread disease. We, therefore, sought to provide a comprehensive review of the relevant literature describing the characteristics of these tumors, their pathophysiology and risk factors, their diagnosis, and their multi-disciplinary treatment. A close partnership between surgical and medical oncologists is therefore necessary. Advances in the molecular characterization of these tumors have also begun to allow the integration of targeted RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway inhibitors into MPNST management.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i50-i61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Pemov ◽  
Hua Li ◽  
William Presley ◽  
Margaret R Wallace ◽  
David T Miller

Abstract Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are heterogeneous, highly aggressive tumors with no widely effective treatment other than surgery. Genomic architecture of MPNST is similar to other soft tissue sarcomas, with a relatively modest burden of single nucleotide variants and an elevated frequency of copy-number alterations. Recent advances in genomic studies identified previously unrecognized critical involvement of polycomb repressor complex 2 (PRC2) core components SUZ12 and EED in transition to malignancy. Notably, somatic changes in NF1, CDKN2A/B, and PRC2 are found in most MPNST regardless of their etiology (e.g. neurofibromatosis type 1-associated vs. sporadic vs. radiation-induced), indicating that similar molecular mechanisms impact pathogenesis in these neoplasms. The timing and specific order of genetic or epigenetic changes may, however, explain the typically poorer prognosis of NF1-associated MPNSTs. Studies that reveal genes and regulatory pathways uniquely altered in malignancies are essential to development of targeted tumor therapies. Characterization of MPNST molecular profiles may also contribute to tools for earlier detection, and prediction of prognosis or drug response. Here we review the genetic discoveries and their implications in understanding MPNST biology.


2021 ◽  
pp. 169-171
Author(s):  
Praveen Babu J ◽  
Sankar Subramanian ◽  
Sandhya Sundaram ◽  
Suresh Kumar P ◽  
Chinni Vikram Asokan

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are very rare and , represents 3 - 10% of all soft tissue sarcomas. Approximately half of all such tumors are diagnosed in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The extremities are involved most commonly, and the patient's age is usually 20 - 50 years. We herein describe a case of 63 year old lady with gastroesophageal junction MPNST, which was diagnosed histopathologically after surgery. The patient underwent curative esophagogastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection and Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy. The postoperative recovery was uneventful. The ideal adjuvant treatment protocol is yet to be decided due to the relatively limited number of cases of these tumours previously reported.


1999 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Liapis ◽  
Edith F. Marley ◽  
Yuan Lin ◽  
Louis P. Dehner

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are uncommon soft tissue tumors. In children with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), a MPNST often arises in a preexisting neurofibroma, or may represent an initial manifestation without other obvious stigmata of the disease. The development of MPNSTs may be associated with instability of the p53 tumor suppressor gene since it is the most frequent genetic abnormality in soft tissue sarcomas. To assess the presence of p53 accumulation in MPNSTs and its correlation with clinical and pathologic features, we studied 12 neurofibromas (NFs), including 4 tumors with cellular features (one congenital) and 10 MPNSTs. Six MPNSTs were associated with NF1, all of which developed within a plexiform neurofibroma. Cell proliferation evaluated with an antibody to Ki-67 and nuclear p53 staining were both detected by immunohistochemistry We found p53 positivity in 60% of MPNSTs. All NFs except the congenital tumor were p53 immunonegative ( P < 0.01). Rare p53-positive nuclei were detected in the transitional zone in two of six MPNSTs arising in plexiform NFs. Ki-67 distinguished the NFs from MPNSTs ( P < 0.005). Half of the NF1 patients with p53-positive MPNSTs developed recurrence or metastases or developed a second malignancy within 2 years of diagnosis, whereas patients with p53-positive sporadic MPNSTs were free of disease 1 to 7 years later. We found p53 accumulation more frequently in NF1-associated MPNSTs. p53 mutations may be an additional biologic factor to account for the poor prognosis in these tumors.


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