Treatment of Cancer Pain by Targeting Cytokines

Figure 2

Cytokines in cancer pain. The tumor is composed not only by cancer cells but also by inflammatory cells, among others. The inflammatory cells present in tumor tissue release cytokines that sensitize the sensorial receptor. The painful stimuli, mediated by cytokines, are detected by the sensorial receptor and are transmitted to neurons in spinal cord. The signal is then transmitted to the brain. Adapted from Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Pain, Nature Reviews Cancer.