Enteric neural-tumor interactions in gastrointestinal malignancies and therapeutic implications

doi:10.5306/wjco.120495

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World Journal of Clinical Oncology

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2218-4333

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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA

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Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.

World J Clin Oncol. Jun 24, 2026; 17(6): 120495
Published online Jun 24, 2026. doi: 10.5306/wjco.120495

Enteric neural-tumor interactions in gastrointestinal malignancies and therapeutic implications

Hui-Zhong Jiang, Zeng-Ai Xia, Ting-Lan Cao, Si-Rui Wang

Si-Rui Wang, Hui-Zhong Jiang, Department of Gastroenterology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China

Ting-Lan Cao, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China

Zeng-Ai Xia, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China

Author contributions: Wang SR wrote the original draft; Cao TL, Xia ZA and Jiang HZ contributed to conceptualization, writing, reviewing and editing; Wang SR, Jiang HZ, and Cao TL participated in drafting the manuscript; and all authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Corresponding author: Hui-Zhong Jiang, PhD, Professor, Researcher, Department of Gastroenterology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road East, Beijing 100700, China. jianghz93@126.com

Received: February 28, 2026
Revised: April 28, 2026
Accepted: May 19, 2026
Published online: June 24, 2026
Processing time: 114 Days and 23.8 Hours

Core Tip

Core Tip: In this review, we propose that the enteric nervous system (ENS) is an active regulator of gastrointestinal malignancies rather than a passive bystander. We summarize how tumors remodel adjacent enteric neuroglial networks and how ENS-derived neurotransmitters and glial signals in turn shape tumor stemness, immune evasion, stromal remodeling, and perineural invasion. We further connect local tumor microenvironment dynamics with systemic brain-gut signaling and highlight druggable neural pathways as potential adjunctive targets for tumor control and symptom management.