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Targeting the mu-Opioid Receptor for Cancer Treatment

  • Anesthesiology and Critical Care (JP Cata, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Oncology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Opioids are still the most effective and widely used treatments for acute and chronic pain in cancer patients. This review focuses on the impact of opioids and mu-opioid receptors (MOR) on tumor progression and providing new ideas for targeting the MOR in cancer treatment.

Recent Findings

Studies estimated that opioids facilitate tumor progression and are related to the worse prognosis in cancer patients. As the primary receptor of opioids, MOR is involved in the regulation of malignant transformation of tumors and participating in proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis.

Summary

MOR may be a new molecular marker of malignant tumors and thus become a new target for cancer therapy, which may be beneficial to the outcomes of cancer patients.

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Abbreviations

Cox-2:

cyclooxygenase-2

EGFR:

epidermal growth factor receptor

HIF-1:

hypoxia inducible factor-1

ICAM:

intercellular adhesion molecule

MAPK:

mitogen-activated protein kinase

MMP-9:

matrix metalloproteinase 9

MOR:

mu-opioid receptor

SSTR2:

somatostatin receptor 2

VEGF:

vascular endothelial growth factor

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Funding

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (NO. 2020YFC2008400); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 81873948, 81871591); Clinical Research Plan of SHDC (NO. SHDC2020CR4064, SHDC2020CR1005A); Shanghai Shenkang Hospital Development Center Clinical Science and Technology Innovation Project (NO. SHDC12018105); the Key Technology and Development Program of Shanghai (NO. 17411963400); 2019 Fudan University Zhuo-Xue Project (JIF159607); and Shanghai Leading Talent (NO: 2019-112). Shanghai Sailing Program (21YF1406800); Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (21ZR1413400)

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  1. Hao Zhang, Di Zhou and Jiahui Gu contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180# Feng-Lin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China

    Hao Zhang, Di Zhou, Jiahui Gu, Mengdi Qu, Kefang Guo, Wankun Chen & Changhong Miao

  2. Fudan Zhangjiang Institute, Shanghai, 201203, China

    Wankun Chen

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  1. Hao Zhang
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  2. Di Zhou
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  3. Jiahui Gu
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  4. Mengdi Qu
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  5. Kefang Guo
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  7. Changhong Miao
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Correspondence to Kefang Guo, Wankun Chen or Changhong Miao.

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Zhang, H., Zhou, D., Gu, J. et al. Targeting the mu-Opioid Receptor for Cancer Treatment. Curr Oncol Rep 23, 111 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-021-01107-w

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