A role for substance P in cancer promotion and progression: a mechanism to counteract intracellular death signals following oncogene activation or DNA damage.
In the present review we discuss a central role for substance P (SP) in carcinogenesis. We suggest that one mechanism to induce mitogenesis of tumor cells is the activation of neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) through SP, linking cancer promotion and progression to a neurokinin-mediated environment. After reviewing the role of both SP and its receptor NK1R in normal and neoplastic cells we propose the use of neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists as a novel and promising approach for treating patients with cancer.
Esteban
F
F
Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío de Sevilla, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain. festebano@ya.com
Muñoz
M
M
González-Moles
M A
MA
Rosso
M
M