A new study published in Nature that highlights the role of sensory nerves in the growth and spread (metastasis) of breast cancer. Researchers discovered that sensory neurons secrete a neuropeptide that drives cancer progression through a previously unknown interaction between nerves and cancer cells.
This neuro-cancer crosstalk suggests that targeting these sensory nerves might prevent metastasis, a critical cause of death in cancer patients.
The study is groundbreaking as it is the first to observe such activity in epithelial tumors like breast cancer, unlike previous findings in brain tumors. The researchers found that highly metastatic breast tumors had significantly more sensory nerve involvement, which correlated with worse outcomes. They used mouse models and in vitro studies to demonstrate that these nerves not only promote tumor growth but also enhance the cancer cells’ ability to metastasize.
Moreover, they identified a gene (SLIT2) and a neuropeptide (substance P) that play a crucial role in this process. Excitingly, the team found that the FDA-approved drug aprepitant, typically used to treat nausea, could inhibit this neuro-cancer interaction and reduce metastasis in breast cancer models. This discovery opens up new therapeutic possibilities and suggests that existing drugs might be repurposed to combat cancer spread, marking a significant advancement in cancer treatment and research.