Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42057105›Full record

ArticleBMC oral health2026

Targeting CGRP signaling alleviates cancer-associated pain in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Mingtao Chen, Yibo Guo, Zheqi Liu, Chengzhong Lin, Yang Wang, Xi Yang, Tong Ji, Chenping Zhang, Yu Zhang

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC oral health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Mingtao Chen *Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Yibo Guo *Department of Stomatology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Zheqi LiuDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Chengzhong LinDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Yang WangDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Xi YangDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial‑Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
Tong JiDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. jitong_zsyy@fudan.edu.cn.
Chenping ZhangDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial‑Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China. zhang.chenping@hotmail.com.
Yu ZhangDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. zhangyu_zsyy@fudan.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 81872189Shanghai Shenkang Hospital Development Center SHDC2020CR60107
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPain is the most frequent complication in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and is associated with poor prognosis. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), abundantly expressed in sensory neurons, has been implicated in multiple pain disorders; however, its role in cancer-associated pain remains unclear. We investigated the relationship between CGRP and OSCC-associated pain and evaluated the analgesic potential of Rimegepant, a CGRP-receptor antagonist approved for migraine.

methodsPlasma CGRP was measured in OSCC patients and correlated with preoperative pain scores and clinical outcomes over a 30-month follow-up. Immunohistochemistry quantified CGRP within tumor-infiltrating nerve fibers. In a unilateral orthotopic tongue OSCC mouse model, we compared the analgesic effects of Rimegepant with carprofen and tramadol. RNA-sequencing of ipsilateral trigeminal ganglia from treated mice was performed to explore potential mechanisms.

resultsPlasma CGRP levels were positively correlated with patient-reported pain severity and were associated with reduced overall survival. Increased CGRP expression in tumor-infiltrating nerves was linked to greater pain intensity and lymph node metastasis. In an OSCC mouse model, both systemic and local administration of Rimegepant significantly attenuated facial mechanical hypersensitivity. Transcriptomic analysis of trigeminal ganglia, together with RT-qPCR validation, revealed suppression of innate immune and neuroinflammatory pathways following Rimegepant treatment.

conclusionsOur findings link sensory-nerve-derived CGRP to OSCC-associated pain and support further evaluation of CGRP receptor antagonism as a potential analgesic strategy in cancer.

Indexed as

Calcitonin Gene-Related PeptideCalcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Receptor AntagonistsCancer PainCarcinoma, Squamous CellMouth NeoplasmsAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalFemaleHumansMaleMiceMiddle AgedPain MeasurementPyridinesSignal TransductionCalcitonin Gene-Related PeptideCalcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Receptor AntagonistsPyridinesAnalgesic effectCalcitonin gene-related peptideOral squamous cell carcinomaPainPrognosis

Identifiers

PMID42057105
PMCPMC13173713

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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.