Nerve Dependence in Colorectal Cancer

Cancerous invasion of nerves has been reported in a list of malignant tumors as a high-risk pathological feature and marker of poor disease outcome especially in neurotrophic cancers (such as in pancreas and prostate), indicating that although once neglected, nerves could have played a pivotal role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. In colorectal cancer, perineural invasion, a specific form of tumor-nerve interaction referring to the identification of tumor cells in proximity to the nerve, has been recognized as a strong and independent prognosis predictor; denervation of autonomic nerves and enteric nerves have shown that the existence of these nerves in the gut are accompanied by promoted cancer proliferation, further supporting that nerve is a potential accomplice to shield and nurture tumor cells. However, the precise role of nerve in CRC and the pattern of interaction between CRC cells and nerve has not been unveiled yet. Here we aim to review some basic knowledge of the importance of nerves in CRC and attempt to depict a mechanistic view of tumor-nerve interaction during CRC development.