ReviewJournal of cancer research and clinical oncology2023
BDNF and its signaling in cancer.
Review in Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It carries an expression of concern. Cited by 48 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
48 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 59 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cytokines and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as Biomarkers of Cognitive Impairment Related to Breast Cancer and Its Treatments: A Systematic Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Pooled it
- Associations between genetically predicted concentrations of plasma proteins and the risk of prostate cancer.BMC cancer · 2024Pooled it
- Trial
- Deguelin inhibits perineural invasion in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via targeting BDNF/TrkB axis.Cancer biology & therapy · 2026Article
- Neuro-immune crosstalk in lung cancer brain metastasis: mechanisms, therapeutic targets, and translational opportunities.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2026Review
- Macrophage-secreted brain-derived neurotrophic factor promotes tumor growth in triple-negative breast cancer by inducing axonogenesis.Cell death and differentiation · 2026Article
- Deciphering the single-cell molecular landscape of ampullary cancer: A rare gastrointestinal malignancy.iScience · 2026Article
- Dried blood spot-based monitoring of immune and epigenetic biomarkers in occupational exposure studies.Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology · 2026Article
- The neuroimmune axis in breast cancer: from mechanistic insights to clinical applications.BMC medicine · 2026Review
- Cancer Neoaxonogenesis: Mechanisms and Factors Involved in the Recruitment of Peripheral Nerves by Cancer Tissue.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Quantification of DNA Methylation for Diagnosis and Monitoring of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.Journal of the American College of Surgeons · 2026Article
- Review
- Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the derived dodecapeptide function as Toll-like receptor 4 antagonists in acute lung injury.Nature communications · 2026Article
- NTRK2 promotes malignant progression and paclitaxel resistance of lung adenocarcinoma through targeting MYC/ABCF1 axis.Translational oncology · 2026Article
- Atlas-Guided Nanocarrier Strategies Targeting Spatial NTRK2/MAPK Signaling in EGFR-TKI-Resistant Niches of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.Pharmaceutics · 2026Review
- Myokines in cancer: bridging molecular mechanisms to biomarker discovery and therapeutic innovation.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Review
- Exploring the Neurobiological Mechanisms of Cancer Growth.Current pharmaceutical design · 2026Review
- Chronic stress-related neuroendocrine mediators and ovarian cancer.Discover oncology · 2025Review
- Article
- Are pNF-H, IL-6, BDNF, and NSP Reliable Biomarkers of Cognitive Function in Prostate Cancer Patients?International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
- Expression of concern
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) belongs to the family of neurotrophic factors that can potentially increase cancer cell growth, survival, proliferation, anoikis, and migration by tyrosine kinase receptors TrkB and the p75NTR death receptor. The activation of BDNF/TrkB pathways leads to several downstream signaling pathways, including PI3K/Akt, Jak/STAT, PLCγ, Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK, NF-kB, and transactivation of EGFR. The current review aimed to provide an overview of the role of BDNF and its signaling in cancer.
methodsWe searched a major medical database, PubMed, to identify eligible studies for a narrative synthesis.
resultsPathological examinations demonstrate BDNF overexpression in human cancer, notably involving the prostate, lung, breast, and underlying tissues, associated with a higher death rate and poor prognosis. Therefore, measurement of BDNF, either for identifying the disease or predicting response to therapy, can be helpful in cancer patients. Expression profiling studies have recognized the role of microRNAs (miR) in modulating BDNF/TrkB pathways, such as miR-101, miR-107, miR-134, miR-147, miR-191, miR-200a/c, miR-204, miR-206, miR-210, miR-214, miR-382, miR-496, miR-497, miR-744, and miR-10a-5p, providing a potential biological mechanism by which targeted therapies may correlate with decreased BDNF expression in cancers. Clinical studies investigating the use of agents targeting BDNF receptors and related signaling pathways and interfering with the related oncogenic effect, including Entrectinib, Larotrectinib, Cabozantinib, Repotrectinib, Lestaurtinib, and Selitrectinib, are in progress.
conclusionThe aberrant signaling of BDNF is implicated in various cancers. Well-designed clinical trials are needed to clarify the BDNF role in cancer progression and target it as a therapeutic method.
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Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.