Which class of drugs is proposed to be combined with current therapy to potentially improve outcomes in high beclin-1 MCTs?

• A. Autophagy inhibitors
• B. Protease inhibitors
• C. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors
• D. Anti-angiogenics

Answer: (A)

Beclin-1 is a key regulator of autophagy, the cellular recycling process that can help tumor cells survive under stress. When mast cell tumors show high Beclin-1, autophagy is likely active and may support resistance to therapy. Blocking autophagy with autophagy inhibitors disrupts this survival pathway, potentially increasing cancer cell kill when added to the current therapy. So this class is proposed to be combined to improve outcomes in high Beclin-1 MCTs. Other drug classes target different pathways (protease activity, tyrosine kinase signaling, or angiogenesis) and do not specifically address the autophagy dependence suggested by high Beclin-1 levels.