Nerves intertwined with tumor cells

Cancer's Silent Partner: How Nerves Influence Drug Resistance

Samir D’Costa in Health & Wellness August 2025 • 3 min read.

"Unraveling the complex interplay between the nervous system and cancer treatment efficacy."

For decades, cancer treatment has primarily focused on the malignant cells themselves. Chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapies, and, more recently, immunotherapies have all aimed to eradicate tumors or control their growth. While progress has been made, a significant hurdle remains: drug resistance. Cancers often evolve, finding ways to evade the effects of even the most potent treatments, leading to relapse and poorer outcomes.

But what if the tumor itself isn't the only culprit? Emerging research suggests a surprising partner in cancer's resistance: the nervous system. This complex network, responsible for everything from our thoughts and emotions to our stress response, appears to play a significant role in how cancers respond (or don't respond) to treatment.

This article delves into the fascinating connection between nerves and cancer, exploring how neural signals can influence drug resistance and highlighting potential new strategies to improve cancer therapy by targeting this unexpected alliance.

The Nerve-Cancer Connection: A Two-Way Street

The relationship between the nervous system and cancer is not a one-way street. Tumors are not simply passive recipients of neural signals; they actively communicate with the nervous system, creating a complex feedback loop that can promote tumor growth and resistance.

Here's how this intricate interplay unfolds:

Nerve Infiltration: Solid tumors are often innervated by sympathetic nerve fibers. These fibers release neurotransmitters that can influence tumor cell behavior.
Neurotrophic Factors: Tumor cells can produce neurotrophic growth factors, such as nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). These factors stimulate the growth of sympathetic and sensory nerves, further enhancing the connection.
The Stress Response: Chronic stress can lead to the prolonged secretion of neuroendocrine hormones like epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol. These hormones can impact the effectiveness of cancer treatments.

This intricate communication network allows the nervous system to influence various aspects of cancer development and progression, including:

Future Directions: Targeting the Neural Landscape of Cancer

The emerging understanding of the nerve-cancer connection opens up exciting new avenues for improving cancer treatment. By targeting the neural signaling pathways that contribute to drug resistance, researchers hope to develop more effective therapies that can overcome this significant hurdle. Several strategies are being explored, including:

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.10.001, Alternate LINK

Title: Neural Regulation Of Drug Resistance In Cancer Treatment

Subject: Cancer Research

Journal: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews on Cancer

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Dan Liu, Xiaoxi Li, Xintian Chen, Yu Sun, Anqun Tang, Zhongwei Li, Junnian Zheng, Ming Shi

Published: 2019-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

How does the nervous system influence cancer drug resistance?

The nervous system impacts cancer drug resistance through a complex two-way communication. Nerve fibers infiltrate tumors, releasing neurotransmitters that influence tumor cell behavior. Tumor cells produce neurotrophic growth factors like nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), stimulating nerve growth and strengthening the connection. Chronic stress and the release of neuroendocrine hormones, such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol, can also diminish the effectiveness of cancer treatments. Addressing this interconnectedness is vital for improving treatment outcomes.

In the context of cancer, how do tumor cells and the nervous system communicate with each other?

Tumor cells and the nervous system communicate through a complex feedback loop. Tumors are innervated by sympathetic nerve fibers, which release neurotransmitters, affecting tumor cell behavior. Simultaneously, tumor cells secrete neurotrophic growth factors, including nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), stimulating the growth of sympathetic and sensory nerves. This bidirectional communication enhances tumor growth and resistance, creating a microenvironment where cancer cells are more likely to evade treatment.

How does chronic stress affect cancer treatment, and what hormones are involved?

Chronic stress significantly affects cancer treatment through the prolonged secretion of neuroendocrine hormones like epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol. These hormones can interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy, radiation, and other therapies. Managing stress through various interventions can help reduce the impact of these hormones, potentially improving treatment outcomes. The influence of these hormones illustrates the broader impact of the nervous system on cancer therapy.

What does it mean to target the neural signaling pathways in cancer treatment, and what factors are targeted?

Targeting neural signaling pathways involves developing therapies to disrupt the communication between nerves and cancer cells. This could include blocking the release of neurotransmitters that promote tumor growth, inhibiting neurotrophic factors like nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or modulating the stress response to reduce the secretion of hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol. By interfering with these pathways, it may be possible to overcome drug resistance and improve cancer treatment efficacy.

If nerves influence drug resistance in cancer, what are the implications for future cancer treatment strategies?

The discovery that the nervous system plays a significant role in cancer drug resistance necessitates a shift in treatment strategies. Instead of solely focusing on malignant cells, therapies need to address the neural landscape of cancer. This may involve combining traditional treatments with interventions that target neural signaling pathways or manage the stress response. Understanding and addressing this nerve-cancer connection could lead to more effective and durable cancer treatments.