Role of the nervous system in cancers: a review.

Nerves are important pathological elements of the microenvironment of tumors, including those in pancreatic, colon and rectal, prostate, head and neck, and breast cancers. Recent studies have associated perineural invasion with tumor progression and poor outcomes. In turn, tumors drive the reprogramming of neurons to recruit new nerve fibers. Therefore, the crosstalk between nerves and tumors is the hot topic and trend in current cancer investigations. Herein, we reviewed recent studies presenting direct supporting evidences for a better understanding of nerve-tumor interactions.