The neuroscience of cancer: Focus on neuropeptidergic systems

Tumors are complex, highly heterogeneous diseases that place an enormous burden on the world's healthcare systems. Updating understanding of tumor initiation and progression is critical and the current breakthrough lies in cancer neuroscience, which focuses on the crosstalk between neural compo...

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Main Authors: Zikai Dong, Yongfei Wang, Weilin Jin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525001625
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author Zikai Dong
Yongfei Wang
Weilin Jin
author_facet Zikai Dong
Yongfei Wang
Weilin Jin
author_sort Zikai Dong
collection DOAJ
description Tumors are complex, highly heterogeneous diseases that place an enormous burden on the world's healthcare systems. Updating understanding of tumor initiation and progression is critical and the current breakthrough lies in cancer neuroscience, which focuses on the crosstalk between neural components and tumors. Neuropeptides are a class of highly potent peptides, that perform the physiological functions of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and endocrine hormones. Currently, many studies have shown that many cellular components of the tumor microenvironment express neuropeptides and their receptors and that neuropeptides may play an important role in their cellular communication. In addition, neuropeptides and their receptors affect cancer hallmarks such as proliferation, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, immune escape, metabolic reprogramming, and others. More importantly, neuropeptides may also affect some tumor comorbidities such as insomnia, depression, anorexia, cancer pain, and others. Targeting neuropeptides in combination with new therapeutic strategies may significantly advance anti-tumor therapy, not only for treating the tumor itself but also for improving the patient's quality of life.
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spelling doaj-art-438345ec3c6f41be8d7374e4af20f62b2025-08-20T01:49:58ZengElsevierActa Pharmaceutica Sinica B2211-38352025-05-011552323235010.1016/j.apsb.2025.03.025The neuroscience of cancer: Focus on neuropeptidergic systemsZikai Dong0Yongfei Wang1Weilin Jin2Institute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, the First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaInstitute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, the First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaInstitute of Cancer Neuroscience, Medical Frontier Innovation Research Center, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, the First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Corresponding author.Tumors are complex, highly heterogeneous diseases that place an enormous burden on the world's healthcare systems. Updating understanding of tumor initiation and progression is critical and the current breakthrough lies in cancer neuroscience, which focuses on the crosstalk between neural components and tumors. Neuropeptides are a class of highly potent peptides, that perform the physiological functions of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and endocrine hormones. Currently, many studies have shown that many cellular components of the tumor microenvironment express neuropeptides and their receptors and that neuropeptides may play an important role in their cellular communication. In addition, neuropeptides and their receptors affect cancer hallmarks such as proliferation, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, immune escape, metabolic reprogramming, and others. More importantly, neuropeptides may also affect some tumor comorbidities such as insomnia, depression, anorexia, cancer pain, and others. Targeting neuropeptides in combination with new therapeutic strategies may significantly advance anti-tumor therapy, not only for treating the tumor itself but also for improving the patient's quality of life.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525001625Cancer neuroscienceDrug repurposingComorbidityGPCRsNeuropeptidesTargeted therapy
spellingShingle Zikai Dong
Yongfei Wang
Weilin Jin
The neuroscience of cancer: Focus on neuropeptidergic systems
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
Cancer neuroscience
Drug repurposing
Comorbidity
GPCRs
Neuropeptides
Targeted therapy
title The neuroscience of cancer: Focus on neuropeptidergic systems
title_full The neuroscience of cancer: Focus on neuropeptidergic systems
title_fullStr The neuroscience of cancer: Focus on neuropeptidergic systems
title_full_unstemmed The neuroscience of cancer: Focus on neuropeptidergic systems
title_short The neuroscience of cancer: Focus on neuropeptidergic systems
title_sort neuroscience of cancer focus on neuropeptidergic systems
topic Cancer neuroscience
Drug repurposing
Comorbidity
GPCRs
Neuropeptides
Targeted therapy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525001625
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