Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
08:59
A Model for Perineural Invasion in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: January 5, 2017
Regulation of solid tumors by the peripheral nervous system
Aeson Chang1, Shenghong Zhu1, Terrance Lam1
1Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University , Parkville, Australia.
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|July 6, 2026
Summary
The nervous system significantly influences cancer progression and treatment outcomes. Targeting neural pathways offers new therapeutic strategies for solid tumors by modulating the tumor microenvironment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Oncology
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- The nervous system regulates cancer progression, impacting tumor growth, spread, and treatment response.
- Peripheral neurons interact with the tumor microenvironment, influencing cancer development.
- Tumors actively remodel their neural niche, affecting neuronal activity and phenotype.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the field of cancer neuroscience, focusing on solid tumors outside the central nervous system.
- To synthesize mechanistic insights into how the peripheral nervous system shapes the tumor microenvironment.
- To highlight emerging therapeutic opportunities targeting neural pathways in cancer.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of cancer neuroscience research.
- Synthesis of mechanistic studies on peripheral nervous system-tumor interactions.
- Analysis of therapeutic strategies targeting neural pathways.
Main Results:
- The nervous system is a critical regulator of tumor growth, dissemination, and therapeutic response.
- Bidirectional communication between neurons and tumors integrates environmental cues to promote cancer progression and resistance.
- Peripheral nervous system activity influences multiple tumor microenvironment components.
Conclusions:
- The nervous system is an upstream regulator of cancer biology.
- Targeting neural pathways presents a promising therapeutic avenue for cancer intervention.
- Cancer neuroscience offers novel insights into tumor ecosystems and treatment resistance.
Related Concept Videos
01:37Neural Regulation
Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
01:24Peripheral Nervous System: Ganglia and Nerves
The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) is a crucial component of the body's neural network, extending beyond the central nervous system (CNS) to bridge the gap between the CNS and the external environment. It encompasses nerves, ganglia, and sensory receptors.
Nerves
The nerve is a bundle of axons that serves as the communication highway in the PNS. Each nerve is ensheathed in a protective layer of connective tissue called the epineurium. This outermost layer safeguards the nerve and supports the...
Nerves
The nerve is a bundle of axons that serves as the communication highway in the PNS. Each nerve is ensheathed in a protective layer of connective tissue called the epineurium. This outermost layer safeguards the nerve and supports the...
01:28Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists
Neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptors are distributed across the GI tract, vagal afferents, and key CNS regions including the central vomiting center and chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) Chemotherapy agents stimulate enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to release large amounts of substance P (SP). SP is a neuropeptide released by specific sensory nerves in response to many different stressors, including those in the GI mucosa affected by chemotherapy. SP binds and activates these...
01:13Organization of the Nervous System
The nervous system is one of the most complex systems in our body. It is organized into two main divisions: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
The CNS, comprising the brain and spinal cord, houses billions of neurons. The brain is housed in the skull, while the spinal cord is linked to the brain through the foramen magnum of the occipital bone and is surrounded by the protective structure of the vertebral column. It is responsible for processing various...
The CNS, comprising the brain and spinal cord, houses billions of neurons. The brain is housed in the skull, while the spinal cord is linked to the brain through the foramen magnum of the occipital bone and is surrounded by the protective structure of the vertebral column. It is responsible for processing various...
01:19Regulation of Hormone Secretion
Regulation of hormone secretion is a finely tuned orchestration driven by various types of stimuli, encompassing neural, humoral, and hormonal signals. Environmental cues instigate neural stimuli, where action potentials traverse nerve fibers to reach their designated targets. An illustrative scenario is the body's response to stress, wherein the sympathetic nervous system releases epinephrine from the adrenal glands, inducing the well-known 'fight or flight' reaction.
Humoral stimuli,...
Humoral stimuli,...
02:18Cancer
Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.