Substance P Levels Are Elevated in Colorectal Cancer Patients, and Tumors Overexpress Its Receptor
Colorectal cancer patients had significantly higher serum substance P and their tumors overexpressed the NK-1 receptor compared to normal tissue, suggesting a role in tumor growth.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Serum substance P was significantly elevated in CRC patients (P=0.001) and tumor tissues overexpressed NK-1R compared to adjacent normal tissue (P=0.01).
Key Numbers
SP elevated in serum (p=0.001); NK-1R higher in tumor vs adjacent tissue (p=0.01); no correlation with tumor size or lymph nodes
How They Did This
Observational study: 38 CRC patients; serum substance P by ELISA (cases vs healthy controls); NK-1R immunohistochemistry in tumor vs adjacent normal tissue; correlation with tumor size and lymph node status.
Why This Research Matters
NK-1 receptor antagonists (like aprepitant, used for nausea) already exist. If SP/NK-1R drives colorectal cancer, these drugs could potentially be repurposed as cancer therapies.
The Bigger Picture
Substance P's role in cancer extends beyond pain — it may actively promote tumor growth through the NK-1R. This adds colorectal cancer to the list of malignancies where neuropeptide signaling may be targetable.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small sample (38 patients); no correlation with clinical outcomes (survival); observational design — cannot prove causation; NK-1R expression didn't correlate with tumor characteristics.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would NK-1 receptor antagonists (aprepitant) slow colorectal cancer growth?
- ?Can serum substance P serve as a screening biomarker for CRC?
- ?Does substance P promote CRC through angiogenesis, proliferation, or immune evasion?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- P=0.001 elevated SP Serum substance P was significantly higher in colorectal cancer patients than healthy controls
- Evidence Grade:
- Low-moderate — statistically significant findings in a small observational study without functional validation or outcome data.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020; substance P/NK-1R as a cancer target is gaining research interest.
- Original Title:
- Evaluation of serum level of substance P and tissue distribution of NK-1 receptor in colorectal cancer.
- Published In:
- Molecular biology reports, 47(5), 3469-3474 (2020)
- Authors:
- Lorestani, Shima, Ghahremanloo, Atefeh(3), Jangjoo, Ali, Abedi, Maedeh, Hashemy, Seyed Isaac
- Database ID:
- RPEP-04966
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What is substance P's role in cancer?
Beyond its known role in pain, substance P can stimulate cancer cell growth, promote blood vessel formation in tumors, and help cancer cells migrate — all by activating NK-1 receptors.
Could anti-nausea drugs help fight colon cancer?
Aprepitant, an NK-1 receptor blocker used for chemotherapy nausea, could theoretically block substance P's cancer-promoting effects. Clinical trials would be needed to test this.
Read More on RethinkPeptides
Cite This Study
https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/RPEP-04966APA
Lorestani, Shima; Ghahremanloo, Atefeh; Jangjoo, Ali; Abedi, Maedeh; Hashemy, Seyed Isaac. (2020). Evaluation of serum level of substance P and tissue distribution of NK-1 receptor in colorectal cancer.. Molecular biology reports, 47(5), 3469-3474. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-020-05432-4
MLA
Lorestani, Shima, et al. "Evaluation of serum level of substance P and tissue distribution of NK-1 receptor in colorectal cancer.." Molecular biology reports, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-020-05432-4
RethinkPeptides
RethinkPeptides Research Database. "Evaluation of serum level of substance P and tissue distribu..." RPEP-04966. Retrieved from https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/lorestani-2020-evaluation-of-serum-level
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkPeptides research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.