Neuromedin U (NMU), a neuropeptide isolated from porcine spinal cord and named 
because of its activity as a rat uterus smooth muscle contraction inducer, is 
emerging as a new player in the tumorigenesis and/or metastasis of many types of 
cancers. Expressed in a variety of tissues, NMU has been shown to possess many 
important activities in the central nervous system as well as on the periphery. 
Along with the main structural and functional features of NMU and its currently 
known receptors, we summarized a growing number of recently published data from 
different tissues and cells that associate NMU activity with cancer development 
and progression. We ask if, based on current reports, NMU can be included as a 
marker of these processes and/or considered as a therapeutic target.