Cancer Neuroscience: Linking Neuronal Plasticity with Brain Tumor Growth and Resistance

Abstract

Brain tumors, particularly glioblastoma, remain among the most lethal cancers, with limited survival benefits from current genetic and molecular-targeted approaches. Emerging evidence reveals that beyond oncogenes and mutations, neuronal plasticity, long-term potentiation, synaptic remodeling, and neurotransmitter-driven signaling play a pivotal role in shaping tumor progression and therapeutic response. This convergence of neuroscience and oncology has given rise to the field of cancer neuroscience, which explores the bidirectional interactions between neurons and malignant cells. In this review, we summarize fundamental principles of neuronal plasticity, contrasting physiological roles with pathological reprogramming in brain tumors. We highlight how tumor cells exploit synaptic input, particularly glutamatergic signaling, to enhance proliferation, invasion, and integration into neural circuits. We further discuss how neuronal-driven feedback loops contribute to therapy resistance, including chemoresistance, radioresistance, and immune evasion, mediated through pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT), and calcium influx. The tumor microenvironment, including astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocyte-lineage cells, emerges as an active participant in reinforcing this neuron-tumor ecosystem. Finally, this review explores therapeutic opportunities targeting neuronal plasticity, spanning pharmacological interventions, neuromodulation approaches (transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), optogenetics), and computational/artificial intelligence frameworks that model neuron tumor networks to predict personalized therapy. Also, we propose future directions integrating connect omics, neuroinformatics, and brain organoid models to refine translational strategies.