类固醇激素在乳腺癌中的作用及对肿瘤干细胞的影响

类固醇激素尤其雌激素和孕激素在乳腺癌的发病、进展和治疗中起着重要作用。与此同时,大量的研究证实肿瘤干细胞在乳腺癌发生、进展和转移过程中也起着关键作用。在乳腺癌临床治疗中,尽管肿瘤细胞经过常规抗内分泌治疗后受到了明显的抑制,但仅需少量的乳腺肿瘤干细胞(Breast cancer stem cells,BCSCs)存在,仍可维持肿瘤的再生长。以往大量的研究多集中在激素对正常乳腺发育及其与乳腺癌的相关性方面,最近,更多的研究观察激素对乳腺肿瘤干细胞活性影响,这为乳腺癌治疗和肿瘤干细胞研究开辟了新的方向。本文全面讨论类固醇激素(雌激素和孕激素)在乳腺癌中的作用及其对乳腺肿瘤干细胞的活性调节。

The role of steroid hormones in breast cancer and its effect on cancer stem cells

Steroid hormones,especially estrogens and progestins,play an important role in the pathogenesis,progression and treatment of breast cancer.At the same time,a large number of studies have confirmed that cancer stem cells also play a key role in the occurrence,progression and metastasis of breast cancer.In preclinical models of breast cancer,although tumor cells have been significantly inhibited by conventional anti-endocrine therapy,only a small number of breast cancer stem cells(BCSCs)are needed to maintain tumor re-growth.In the past,a large number of studies have focused on the relationship between hormones in the development of normal breast and breast cancer.Recently,many studies have examined effects of hormones on the activity of breast cancer stem cell,which has opened up a new research direction for breast cancer treatment and CSCs.This paper comprehensively discusses the role of steroid hormones(estrogen and progesterone)in breast cancer and their regulation of breast BCSCs.