title: New insights into perineural invasion of pancreatic cancer: More than pain.
abstract: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant human tumors. Perineural invasion, whereby a cancer cell invades the perineural spaces surrounding nerves, is acknowledged as a gradual contributor to cancer aggressiveness. Furthermore, perineural invasion is considered one of the root causes of the recurrence and metastasis observed after pancreatic resection, and it is also an independent predictor of prognosis. Advanced research has demonstrated that the neural microenvironment is closely associated with perineural invasion in pancreatic cancer. Therapy targeting the molecular mechanism of perineural invasion may enable the durable clinical treatment of this formidable disease. This review provides an overview of the present status of perineural invasion, the relevant molecular mechanisms of perineural invasion, pain and hyperglycemia associated with perineural invasion in pancreatic cancer, and the targeted therapeutics based on these studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Dingkong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shunrong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Quanxing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Pancreatic Cancer Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: yuxianjun88@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Xianjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D018925:Chemokines / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000209:etiology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines
keywords: Cancer microenvironment; Pancreatic cancer; Perineural invasion; Prognostic factor