近年来，神经系统在肿瘤微环境中的重要性越来越受到关注。神经与癌细胞之间的双向通讯在肿瘤的发生和发展中起着关键作用。当肿瘤细胞侵袭神经鞘和/或环绕神经周长的33%以上时，就会发生神经周围侵袭（PNI）。PNI在各种恶性肿瘤中普遍存在，并与肿瘤侵袭、转移、癌相关疼痛和不利临床结局有关。结肠和直肠是高度神经化的器官，积累的研究支持PNI作为结直肠癌（CRC）的组织病理学特征。因此，有必要探究神经在CRC中的作用，了解PNI的机制，以阻碍肿瘤的进展并改善患者的生存率。本综述阐述了PNI的临床意义，总结了其潜在的细胞和分子机制，介绍了适用于研究PNI的各种实验模型，并讨论了针对该现象的治疗潜力。通过深入研究神经与肿瘤细胞之间的复杂相互作用，我们希望本综述可以为CRC治疗的未来发展提供宝贵的见解。© 2023. 作者。

In recent years, the significance of the nervous system in the tumor microenvironment has gained increasing attention. The bidirectional communication between nerves and cancer cells plays a critical role in tumor initiation and progression. Perineural invasion (PNI) occurs when tumor cells invade the nerve sheath and/or encircle more than 33% of the nerve circumference. PNI is a common feature in various malignancies and is associated with tumor invasion, metastasis, cancer-related pain, and unfavorable clinical outcomes. The colon and rectum are highly innervated organs, and accumulating studies support PNI as a histopathologic feature of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, it is essential to investigate the role of nerves in CRC and comprehend the mechanisms of PNI to impede tumor progression and improve patient survival.This review elucidates the clinical significance of PNI, summarizes the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, introduces various experimental models suitable for studying PNI, and discusses the therapeutic potential of targeting this phenomenon. By delving into the intricate interactions between nerves and tumor cells, we hope this review can provide valuable insights for the future development of CRC treatments.© 2023. The Author(s).