This book summarizes the current knowledge on how tumors interact with the nervous system and what impact this might have for the progression and treatment of cancer.
It begins with an introduction to the organization and physiology of the nervous system, especially of the peripheral nervous system with its high degree of plasticity. Subsequent chapters discuss the interaction between peripheral nerves and tumor cells, the so-called neuro-neoplastic synapse, with regard to carcinogenesis, predictive tumor markers, tumor growth and tumor progression leading to metastasis. In this part, the concept of neoneurogenesis is postulated as a process by which the tumor regulates its own innervation through the release of neurotrophic factors, in analogy to the process of neoangiogenesis discovered three decades ago. Once nerve endings have grown into the tumor, these can release neurotransmitters which promote tumor cell migration and metastasis development. The final chapters reflect on the role of stem cells in neoneurogenesis and consider pharmacological approaches for the inhibition of neuro-neoplastic interactions as a basis for new anticancer therapies.

Targeted primarily at investigators in experimental and clinical oncology, this book is also of special interest to neurobiologists as well as developmental and cell biologists.

The first two chapters of this monograph describe the wiring and organization of the peripheral nervous system and its potential interactions with tumor cells forming a neuro-neoplastic synapsis. The next six chapters explore three possible ways neurotrophic factors and neurotransmitters may play a role in tumor and neurotrophic cells. The final two contributions suggest pharmacological approaches to inhibit the interaction between the nervous system and tumor, and a target structure for an anti-tumor therapy analogous to the inhibition of angiogenesis. The editors are affiliated with the Institute of Immunology at the University of Witten in Germany. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)