Overview

• The Nature paper reports that early glioblastomas injure axons and that SARM1-driven Wallerian degeneration accelerates tumor progression in mouse models.
• Mice engineered without SARM1 developed less aggressive tumors, lived longer, and maintained neurological function until nearly the end of life.
• Experimental induction of axonal injury hastened disease course, and tumors preferentially expanded within axon-rich white matter.
• The findings position SARM1 as a therapeutic target, with inhibitors from neurodegeneration programs requiring further laboratory evaluation before any patient trials in glioblastoma.
• The UCL-led study, funded by the Brain Tumour Charity and Cancer Research UK, addresses a cancer that affects about 3,000 people annually in the UK with median survival of 12–18 months despite current treatments.