Nerve fibers in the tumor microenvironment in neurotropic cancer—pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Xiuxiang Tan - , Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC+), RWTH Aachen University, Maastricht University (Author)
  • Shivan Sivakumar - , University of Oxford (Author)
  • Jan Bednarsch - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Georg Wiltberger - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Jakob Nikolas Kather - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Jan Niehues - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Judith de Vos-Geelen - , Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC+) (Author)
  • Liselot Valkenburg-van Iersel - , Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC+) (Author)
  • Svetlana Kintsler - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Anjali Roeth - , RWTH Aachen University, Maastricht University (Author)
  • Guangshan Hao - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Sven Lang - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Mariëlle E. Coolsen - , Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC+) (Author)
  • Marcel den Dulk - , Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC+), RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Merel R. Aberle - , Maastricht University (Author)
  • Jarne Koolen - , Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC+) (Author)
  • Nadine T. Gaisa - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Steven W.M. Olde Damink - , Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC+), RWTH Aachen University, Maastricht University (Author)
  • Ulf P. Neumann - , Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC+), RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Lara R. Heij - , Maastricht University Medical Centre (UMC+), RWTH Aachen University (Author)

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) are both deadly cancers and they share many biological features besides their close anatomical location. One of the main histological features is neurotropism, which results in frequent perineural invasion. The underlying mechanism of cancer cells favoring growth by and through the nerve fibers is not fully understood. In this review, we provide knowledge of these cancers with frequent perineural invasion. We discuss nerve fiber crosstalk with the main different components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), the immune cells, and the fibroblasts. Also, we discuss the crosstalk between the nerve fibers and the cancer. We highlight the shared signaling pathways of the mechanisms behind perineural invasion in PDAC and CCA. Hereby we have focussed on signaling neurotransmitters and neuropeptides which may be a target for future therapies. Furthermore, we have summarized retrospective results of the previous literature about nerve fibers in PDAC and CCA patients. We provide our point of view in the potential for nerve fibers to be used as powerful biomarker for prognosis, as a tool to stratify patients for therapy or as a target in a (combination) therapy. Taking the presence of nerves into account can potentially change the field of personalized care in these neurotropic cancers.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)899-908
Number of pages10
JournalOncogene
Volume40
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 4 Feb 2021
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 33288884

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals