Cancer-nervous system crosstalk: from biological mechanism to therapeutic opportunities
Abstract A growing body of research suggests a bidirectional interaction between cancer and the nervous system. Neural cells exert their effects on tumors by secreting neurotransmitters and cell adhesion molecules, which interact with specific receptors on tumor cells to modulate their behavior. Con...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Molecular Cancer |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02336-4 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850278100323008512 |
|---|---|
| author | Sirui Huang Jing Zhu Linglu Yu Yan Huang Yue Hu |
| author_facet | Sirui Huang Jing Zhu Linglu Yu Yan Huang Yue Hu |
| author_sort | Sirui Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A growing body of research suggests a bidirectional interaction between cancer and the nervous system. Neural cells exert their effects on tumors by secreting neurotransmitters and cell adhesion molecules, which interact with specific receptors on tumor cells to modulate their behavior. Conversely, tumor-secreted factors, particularly including inflammatory factors, can alter neural activity and increase neuronal excitability, potentially contributing to neurological manifestations such as epilepsy. The immune system also serves as a crucial intermediary in the indirect communication between cancer and the nervous system. These insights have opened promising avenues for novel therapeutic strategies targeting both tumors and their associated neurological complications. In this review, we have synthesized the key biological mechanisms underlying cancer-nervous system interactions that have emerged over the past decade. We outline the molecular and cellular pathways mediating this cross-talk and explore the clinical implications of targeting the nervous system to suppress tumor growth and metastasis, mitigate neurological complications arising from cancer progression, and modulate the immune response through neural regulation in the context of cancer therapy. Graphical Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4b492ae142dc4c17957bf88bd5118c9d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1476-4598 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecular Cancer |
| spelling | doaj-art-4b492ae142dc4c17957bf88bd5118c9d2025-08-20T01:49:39ZengBMCMolecular Cancer1476-45982025-05-0124112910.1186/s12943-025-02336-4Cancer-nervous system crosstalk: from biological mechanism to therapeutic opportunitiesSirui Huang0Jing Zhu1Linglu Yu2Yan Huang3Yue Hu4School of Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese MedicineDepartment of Ultrasound, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese MedicineSchool of Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese MedicineAbstract A growing body of research suggests a bidirectional interaction between cancer and the nervous system. Neural cells exert their effects on tumors by secreting neurotransmitters and cell adhesion molecules, which interact with specific receptors on tumor cells to modulate their behavior. Conversely, tumor-secreted factors, particularly including inflammatory factors, can alter neural activity and increase neuronal excitability, potentially contributing to neurological manifestations such as epilepsy. The immune system also serves as a crucial intermediary in the indirect communication between cancer and the nervous system. These insights have opened promising avenues for novel therapeutic strategies targeting both tumors and their associated neurological complications. In this review, we have synthesized the key biological mechanisms underlying cancer-nervous system interactions that have emerged over the past decade. We outline the molecular and cellular pathways mediating this cross-talk and explore the clinical implications of targeting the nervous system to suppress tumor growth and metastasis, mitigate neurological complications arising from cancer progression, and modulate the immune response through neural regulation in the context of cancer therapy. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02336-4CancerNeurobiology of cancerOncological therapeutic modalitiesNervous system |
| spellingShingle | Sirui Huang Jing Zhu Linglu Yu Yan Huang Yue Hu Cancer-nervous system crosstalk: from biological mechanism to therapeutic opportunities Molecular Cancer Cancer Neurobiology of cancer Oncological therapeutic modalities Nervous system |
| title | Cancer-nervous system crosstalk: from biological mechanism to therapeutic opportunities |
| title_full | Cancer-nervous system crosstalk: from biological mechanism to therapeutic opportunities |
| title_fullStr | Cancer-nervous system crosstalk: from biological mechanism to therapeutic opportunities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cancer-nervous system crosstalk: from biological mechanism to therapeutic opportunities |
| title_short | Cancer-nervous system crosstalk: from biological mechanism to therapeutic opportunities |
| title_sort | cancer nervous system crosstalk from biological mechanism to therapeutic opportunities |
| topic | Cancer Neurobiology of cancer Oncological therapeutic modalities Nervous system |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02336-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT siruihuang cancernervoussystemcrosstalkfrombiologicalmechanismtotherapeuticopportunities AT jingzhu cancernervoussystemcrosstalkfrombiologicalmechanismtotherapeuticopportunities AT lingluyu cancernervoussystemcrosstalkfrombiologicalmechanismtotherapeuticopportunities AT yanhuang cancernervoussystemcrosstalkfrombiologicalmechanismtotherapeuticopportunities AT yuehu cancernervoussystemcrosstalkfrombiologicalmechanismtotherapeuticopportunities |