Vagus nerve and cancer symptom science

Patients with cancer are often polysymptomatic due to significant disease and treatment-related morbidity. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), a type of neuromodulation, affects various physiological processes that are highly relevant to many cancer-related symptoms. It is an emerging therapy that uses the omnipotent nature of the nerve and is known to ameliorate conditions such as depression, epilepsy, gastrointestinal disorders and migraine. Given the evidence base for VNS and its proven utilisation outside of cancer, we suggest research and clinical application of this treatment modality in supportive oncology.