Extending the convergence of canonical WNT signaling and classic cancer pathways for treatment of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors

Abstract

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are incurable tumors of the Schwann cell lineage that progress unpredictably from benign plexiform neurofibromas. In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Watson and colleagues use an insertional mutagenesis screen combined with network analysis to identify the canonical WNT signaling pathway as an important potential biomarker of tumor progression and target for combination therapy in MPNSTs. © 2013 American Association for Cancer Research.