Milner Receives DART SPORE Award for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cutaneous Neurofibroma (cNF)

Institute Director Thomas Milner, an investigator in the field of laser-based medical devices and a
pioneer in optical imaging of tissue, received a $75,000 award from the Developmental Research
Program (DRP) of the Developmental and Hyperactive Ras Tumor (DHART) SPORE. The study focuses on
the early detection and treatment of cutaneous neurofibroma (cNF), imaging cNF at the earliest stages
of development for improved detection and treatment. The study has substantial translational
implications for treating cNF tumors, potentially allowing intervention at an early point of development
of cNF.

With a worldwide incidence of 1 in 3000, neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is the most common inherited
cancer predisposition syndrome and the founding member of a group of developmental disorders that
are collectively termed “Rasopathies.” Clinical manifestations of NF1 include pigmented skin lesions,
skeletal dysplasia, learning disabilities, and an increased risk of developing specific neoplastic diseases
that progress to aggressive cancers. These premalignant and malignant tumors frequently affect
children, adolescents and young adults.

Collectively, the tumors that develop in NF1 patients are a substantial cause of morbidity and premature
mortality. In addition to its role as an initiating mutation in NF1-associated cancers, recent genome-wide
sequencing studies uncovered frequent somatic NF1 mutations in glioblastoma (GBM), acute myeloid
leukemia (AML), melanoma, lung adenocarcinoma and other sporadic cancers.
With the study, Milner and his research team offer a new and innovative area of focus as no other
studies such as this exist. Early intervention for various benign and potentially malignant tumors or
conditions for NF1 patients is important, as trying to manage these conditions is far more challenging
after they have been established.

The Developmental and Hyperactive Ras Tumor (DHART) SPORE was funded in 2015 with the goal of
implementing effective targeted molecular therapies for neoplasms and cancers characterized by NF1
mutations. The DRP project is funded by a generous commitment to the DHART SPORE by the
Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program (NTAP).

Click here for more information about DHART SPORE.