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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2024 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Pain. 2022 Apr 20;164(1):27–42. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002655

Figure 7. Schmatic representation of sympathetic modulation of oral cancer pain.

Figure 7.

We hypothesize that in the oral cancer microenvironment (1) sympathetic nerves release norepinephrine which binds to β-adrenergic receptors expressed on oral cancer cells. (2) Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) is subsequently secreted from tumor cells in response to adrenergic activation and binds to TNF receptors expressed on tumor innervating sensory nerves resulting in (3) sensory nerve sensitization and pain signaling.