Tumor Tissue Affects the Activity of the Nervous System

Research on the neurobiology of cancer has mainly focused on investigating the modulatory effect of brain and peripheral nerves on tumor initiation and progression. However, the interactions between the nervous system and tumor tissue are bidirectional (Ondicova and Mravec 2010; Magnon and Hondermarck 2023). A more detailed study of the effects of cancer on the nervous system has only begun in the last two decades. The data obtained suggest that the cancer, through modulation of the nervous system activity, “manipulates” the host organism. This manipulation occurs through processes related to interactions between tumor tissue and the nervous system at the level of the tumor micro- and macroenvironment (Fig. 8.1) and aims to potentiate tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. In addition, the tumor induces a whole spectrum of adverse changes in the nervous system, such as disturbances in the wake–sleep cycle, depression, anorexia, central exhaustion, tumor pain, and others, which reduce the quality of life and contribute to the shortened survival of the cancer patient (Scheff and Saloman 2021).