Impact of opioids and mu-opioid receptors on oncologic metastasis

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2024 papers

Abstract

Opioids are the most effective and widely used treatments for acute and chronic pain in patients with cancer. This review focuses on the impact of opioids and mu-opioid receptors (MORs) on the stages of oncologic metastasis. Studies have shown that opioids can facilitate tumor progression and are related to a poor prognosis in patients with cancer. As the primary receptor for opioids, MORs play a significant role in regulating malignant tumor transformation and are involved in processes, such as proliferation, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and the tumor microenvironment (TME). While clinical trials have investigated the relationship between opioids and patient prognosis, further research is needed to clarify the relationship between opioids, MORs and metastasis.

Related Papers

• → Evidence for ε-opioid receptor-mediated β-endorphin-induced analgesia(2001)60 cited
• → Morphine Upregulates mu Opioid Receptors of Human and Monkey Lymphocytes(2000)48 cited
• → Synthesis of 3,6-diazabicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes as novel ligands for the opioid receptors(2005)16 cited
• → Chronic opioid treatment may uncouple opioid receptors and G-proteins: evidence from radiation inactivation analysis(1993)21 cited
• → Opioid Pharmacology: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (P17)(2017)