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Neuron-tumor communication in solid tumors: from bona fide synapses to pseudo-synaptic neural interfaces
Lei Ren1, Chunfeng Liu2, Wangsheng Chen3
1Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, TUM University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of General Surgery (Gastrointestinal Surgery), The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Trends in Cancer
|July 9, 2026
Summary
Malignant cells detect and respond to neural activity, influencing tumor growth. This review explores neuron-tumor communication, its mechanisms, and implications for cancer progression and therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Neuroscience
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Neuron-tumor communication represents a novel mechanism of tumor-host interaction.
- Malignant cells can sense and respond to neuronal signals, influencing their growth and behavior.
- This interaction occurs in both brain tumors (gliomas) and extracranial tumors through various pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current evidence linking neural activity to cancer progression.
- To explore the diverse mechanisms of neuron-tumor communication across different cancer types and locations.
- To highlight the need for standardized experimental approaches to study these interactions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on neuron-tumor communication.
- Analysis of mechanisms in brain tumors (gliomas) and extracranial tumors.
- Discussion of experimental standards for distinguishing direct neuron-tumor interfaces from broader neural influences.
Main Results:
- Malignant cells integrate into neuronal circuits, with glutamatergic input driving glioma progression.
- Extracranial tumors exhibit heterogeneous neural influences via neurochemical niches and 'pseudo-synapses'.
- Neural input impacts tumor cell state, metabolism, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic resistance.
Conclusions:
- Neuron-tumor communication is a critical, yet understudied, aspect of cancer biology.
- Understanding these interactions is essential for developing novel cancer therapies.
- Standardized methods are crucial for advancing research in this field.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Neuronal Communication
Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, communicate through complex electrochemical signals that underpin all cognitive and bodily functions. This communication is primarily facilitated by a process involving the generation and propagation of an action potential along the axon of the neuron. When the internal electrical charge of a neuron surpasses a certain threshold, an action potential is triggered. This rapid change in voltage travels swiftly along the axon to the...
01:09Synaptic Signaling
Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...
01:12Synaptic Signaling
Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
01:28Electrical Synapses
Electrical synapses found in all nervous systems play important and unique roles. In these synapses, the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes are very close together (3.5 nm) and are actually physically connected by channel proteins forming gap junctions.
Gap junctions allow the current to pass directly from one cell to the next. In contrast, in the chemical synapse, the neurotransmitters carry the information through the synaptic cleft from one neuron to the next. They consist of two...
Gap junctions allow the current to pass directly from one cell to the next. In contrast, in the chemical synapse, the neurotransmitters carry the information through the synaptic cleft from one neuron to the next. They consist of two...
02:47The Synapse
Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.