Role of Bioelectrical Signaling Networks in Tumor Growth

The ion channels are distributed in all cells and promote the rapid influx of ions that underlie the formation of cellular bioelectrical signals. Bioelectrical signals coupled with other regulator mechanisms provide fundamental physiological cellular processes, such as cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis, which are strongly associated with the manifestation of cancer hallmarks. Alterations in the bioelectrical signaling mechanism underlie the unusual bioelectrical features of cancer cells. Investigating the role of bioelectrical signals in tumor growth provides fundamental insights into cancer diagnosis and tumor-targeted treatment. Hence, this field of research is becoming one of the frontrunners of cancer medicine, and advances in biophysical tools are enabling progress in understanding this biological phenomenon. Recent studies have revealed that bioelectrical signals represent a promising target in cancer therapy. It is becoming increasingly convincing that cancer conditions can be reversed to normal by regulating the bioelectrical signaling mechanism of cells. Herein, we provide a brief review of the role of bioelectrical signals in cancer pathophysiology and provide data on the manipulation of this signaling mechanism as a novel approach to preventing malignant growth.