Abstract SY31-03: Cancer takes a nerve: Challenges and opportunities in cancer neuroscience

Abstract Neuronal reprogramming in cancer represents a groundbreaking frontier that intricately links the nervous system's plasticity to tumor progression and response to treatment. This process involves the aberrant activation or suppression of neuronal signals that can significantly influence cancer cell behavior, including proliferation, migration, and resistance to therapies. The concept of repurposing drugs originally designed to target the nervous system for use in clinical oncology offers a promising therapeutic strategy, potentially revolutionizing cancer treatment. By intercepting neuronal pathways that cancer cells exploit for their growth and survival, these drugs could modulate the tumor microenvironment, enhance the efficacy of conventional therapies, and potentially reverse drug resistance mechanisms. Moreover, targeting neuronal signaling in cancer could lead to improvements in patients' functional outcomes, mitigating cancer-related neurological deficits and improving quality of life. Importantly, this approach may also have profound implications for survival outcomes, as modulating the neuro-cancer interface could slow tumor progression and reduce metastatic spread. The repurposing of neuroactive drugs for cancer treatment thus opens a new avenue for personalized medicine, where the intricacies of neuronal reprogramming are leveraged to tailor therapy, improve response rates, and ultimately, enhance patient survival and well-being. Citation Format: Moran Amit. Cancer takes a nerve: Challenges and opportunities in cancer neuroscience [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr SY31-03.