Abstract
Endocannabinoids including anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol are involved in cancer pathophysiology in several ways, including tumor growth and progression, peritumoral inflammation, nausea and cancer pain. Recently we showed that the endocannabinoid profiles are deranged during cancer to an extent that this manifests in alterations of plasma endocannabinoids in cancer patients, which was mimicked by similar changes in rodent models of local and metastatic cancer. The present topical review summarizes the complexity of endocannabinoid signaling in the context of tumor growth and metastasis.
Keywords:
2-arachidonoylglycerol; anandamide; angiogenesis; endocannabinoids; immune cells; orphan G-protein coupled receptor.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
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Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
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Arachidonic Acids / blood
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Arachidonic Acids / metabolism
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Cannabinoids / pharmacology
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Cannabinoids / therapeutic use
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Endocannabinoids / blood
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Endocannabinoids / metabolism*
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Ethanolamine / metabolism
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Glycerides / blood
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Glycerides / metabolism
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Humans
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Neoplasm Metastasis
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Neoplasms / drug therapy
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Neoplasms / etiology
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Neoplasms / metabolism*
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Neoplasms / pathology*
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Oleic Acids / blood
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Oleic Acids / metabolism
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Receptors, Cannabinoid / metabolism
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Tumor Microenvironment
Substances
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Antineoplastic Agents
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Arachidonic Acids
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Cannabinoids
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Endocannabinoids
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Glycerides
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Oleic Acids
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Oleylethanolamide
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Receptors, Cannabinoid
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Ethanolamine
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glyceryl 2-arachidonate