Can isotretinoin be used in treating multiple neurofibromas thanks to its apoptotic effect?

Abstract

The most common benign tumor of the peripheral nerve sheath is neurofibromas. The only known curative treatment is total surgical excision. In neurofibromatosis patients with multiple cutaneous neurofibromas, it is not possible to treat all neurofibromas with surgical excision. We happened on a case of neurofibromatosis type-1, whose neurofibromas shrank while using isotretinoin for the treatment of excessively oily skin and postadolescent acne. We think that isotretinoin executes this effect through its apoptotic mechanism of action.