Mechanisms of cancer dissemination along nerves

• Published in: Nature reviews. Cancer Vol. 16; no. 6; pp. 399 - 408
• Main Authors: Amit, Moran, Na'ara, Shorook, Gil, Ziv
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.06.2016; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/378/1959; 631/67/322; 631/67/327; 631/67/70; Animals; Biomedicine; Cancer Research; Carcinogenesis; Cell migration; Health aspects; Humans; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasms - pathology; Nervous System - pathology; Neural circuitry; opinion-2; Physiological aspects; Tumor Microenvironment
• ISSN: 1474-175X; 1474-1768
• DOI: 10.1038/nrc.2016.38

Nerve invasion frequently occurs in tumours and has traditionally been viewed as a passive process; however, recent studies have revealed active migration of cancer cells along axons (neural tracking). This Opinion article describes possible molecular mechanisms of neural tracking. The local extension of cancer cells along nerves is a frequent clinical finding for various tumours. Traditionally, nerve invasion was assumed to occur via the path of least resistance; however, recent animal models and human studies have revealed that cancer cells have an innate ability to actively migrate along axons in a mechanism called neural tracking. The tendency of cancer cells to track along nerves is supported by various cell types in the perineural niche that secrete multiple growth factors and chemokines. We propose that the perineural niche should be considered part of the tumour microenvironment, describe the molecular cues that facilitate neural tracking and suggest methods for its inhibition.