Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Department of Cancer Biology, Metastasis Research Center, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Trends Cancer. 2020 Sep;6(9):767-774. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.03.007. Epub 2020 Apr 16.
Cancer is a complex disease that is associated with genetic aberrations and subsequent cellular and noncellular host responses. Tumors harbor diverse cell types that engage in a dynamic interplay to sustain cancer-specific signaling networks. A component of such cellular communication is the production and exchange of various types of extracellular vesicle (EV). Exosomes are small EVs with growing recognition for their role in cancer progression and resistance to therapy. The unique biogenesis of exosomes, their ubiquitous production by all cell types, and their biological features in liquid biopsies have generated excitement for their potential as cancer biomarkers. Here, we discuss the challenges and utility of exosomes as multiparameter biomarker platforms for the detection of cancer. Exosomes reflect heterogeneous biological changes associated with growing tumors, potentially offering a more comprehensive assessment of cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and progression.
癌症是一种复杂的疾病，与遗传异常以及随后的细胞和非细胞宿主反应有关。肿瘤中存在多种细胞类型，它们通过动态相互作用来维持癌症特异性信号网络。这种细胞通讯的一个组成部分是各种类型的细胞外囊泡（EV）的产生和交换。外泌体是小的 EV，其在癌症进展和对治疗的抵抗中的作用越来越受到重视。外泌体独特的生物发生、所有细胞类型普遍产生以及它们在液体活检中的生物学特征，为它们作为癌症生物标志物的潜力带来了兴奋。在这里，我们讨论了外泌体作为癌症检测的多参数生物标志物平台的挑战和实用性。外泌体反映了与肿瘤生长相关的异质性生物学变化，可能提供了对癌症诊断、预后和进展的更全面评估。
