The neuro-immune axis in cancer: Relevance of the peripheral nervous system to the disease

Abstract

The peripheral nervous system and the immune system are critically involved in the surveillance of our body, having the ability to sense the environment, recognize danger signals and orchestrate an appropriate response. Despite the fact that these two systems have been historically considered autonomous entities, a large body of evidence has shown how they interact in many homeostatic responses and how these interactions are critically involved in pathologic contexts too, including inflammation, infection and autoimmunity. In the context of cancer, where it is already known that inflammation plays a key role, the cross-regulation of immune cells and neural components is still somewhat unexplored. Detailed characterization of the mediators and pathways involved in neuro-immune interactions in cancer is expected to provide insights into the pathogenesis of disease and open new possibilities related to therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: Cancer; Neuro-immune axis; Perineural invasion.