Peripheral Nerve-Cancer Interactions in the Tumor Microenvironment: A Three-Dimensional Framework Integrating...

Area of Science:

• Cancer Biology
• Neuroscience
• Immunology

Background:

• The nervous system is increasingly recognized as a key regulator of tumor biology.
• Cancer neuroscience is an expanding field exploring neural circuit impacts on cancer initiation, progression, and treatment response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically organize peripheral nervous system (PNS)-cancer interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME).
• To provide a conceptual framework for understanding cancer neuroscience mechanisms.
• To highlight key modulatory factors and emerging therapeutic strategies.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on PNS-cancer interactions.
• Systematic organization of PNS-cancer interactions across pathological phenotypes, cellular components, and communication modes.

Main Results:

• The PNS, including autonomic and sensory pathways, dynamically interacts with tumor cells and the TME.
• These interactions influence tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and immune regulation.
• Environmental and patient factors modulate nerve-cancer signaling.

Conclusions:

• Nerve-tumor communication is diverse and plays a critical role in cancer.
• Targeting nerve-cancer signaling presents a promising therapeutic avenue.