BRAF and MEK inhibitor targeted therapy in papillary craniopharyngiomas: a cohort study
Dario De Alcubierre, Grigorios Gkasdaris, Margaux Mordrel, Anthony Joncour, Claire Briet, Fabien Almairac, Julien Boetto, C. Mouly, Delphine Larrieu‐Ciron, Alexandre Vasiljevic, Chiara Villa, Camille Sergeant, François Ducray, L. Feuvret, Philippe Chanson, Bertrand Baussart, Gérald Raverot, Emmanuel Jouanneau
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Targeted therapy (TT) with BRAF/MEK inhibitors has emerged as a potential treatment in papillary craniopharyngiomas (PCPs). However, standardized data on large cohorts are lacking. Our study aimed to assess real-life efficacy and safety of BRAF/MEK inhibition in patients with PCPs. DESIGN: Retrospective French multicenter study involving BRAF V600E-mutated PCP patients, treated with BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination dabrafenib and trametinib, from April 2019 to July 2023. METHODS: Objective response and clinical and safety outcomes were assessed after 3 months and at the last available follow-up during TT. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (8 females, mean age 50.5 ± 15.75 years), receiving either neoadjuvant therapy (NEO) for non-resectable tumors (n = 6), post-surgical adjuvant therapy (ADJ; n = 8), or palliative therapy (PAL) following failure of multimodal treatment (n = 2), were included.At the last follow-up (mean 7.6 ± 5.3 months), 12 patients showed subtotal response, 3 exhibited partial response, and 1 maintained stable disease. Mean volume reduction was 88.9 ± 4.4%, 73.3 ± 23.4%, and 91.8 ± 4.3% in the NEO, ADJ, and PAL groups, respectively.Targeted therapy resolved headaches in 5/5 patients and visual impairment in 6/9; 2/3 patients had improved neurological symptoms, 1/4 presented weight loss, and 2/14 recovered endocrine function.Targeted therapy was well-tolerated in 62.5% of cases; adverse events led to treatment discontinuation in 5 patients and definitive discontinuation in 3 cases. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, 94% of patients showed partial response or better to TT. Adverse events were acceptable. Further research is needed to establish standardized protocols; however, these results advocate for a NEO approach in invasive PCPs.