Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University, Nantong First People's Hospital, Nantong, 226001, P.R. China.
School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, P.R. China.
J Transl Med. 2024 May 27;22(1):506. doi: 10.1186/s12967-024-05266-9.
Cancer cachexia (CC) is a debilitating syndrome that affects 50-80% of cancer patients, varying in incidence by cancer type and significantly diminishing their quality of life. This multifactorial syndrome is characterized by muscle and fat loss, systemic inflammation, and metabolic imbalance. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, play a crucial role in the progression of CC. These vesicles, produced by cancer cells and others within the tumor environment, facilitate intercellular communication by transferring proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. A comprehensive review of the literature from databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science reveals insights into the formation, release, and uptake of EVs in CC, underscoring their potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. The review also explores therapeutic strategies targeting EVs, which include modifying their release and content, utilizing them for drug delivery, genetically altering their contents, and inhibiting key cachexia pathways. Understanding the role of EVs in CC opens new avenues for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, potentially mitigating the syndrome's impact on patient survival and quality of life.
癌症恶病质（CC）是一种使人虚弱的综合征，影响 50-80%的癌症患者，其发病率因癌症类型而异，并显著降低了他们的生活质量。这种多因素综合征的特征是肌肉和脂肪减少、全身炎症和代谢失衡。细胞外囊泡（EVs），包括外泌体和微泡，在 CC 的进展中起着至关重要的作用。这些囊泡由癌细胞和肿瘤环境中的其他细胞产生，通过转移蛋白质、脂质和核酸来促进细胞间的通讯。对来自 PubMed、Scopus 和 Web of Science 等数据库的文献进行全面综述，揭示了 CC 中 EVs 的形成、释放和摄取的见解，强调了它们作为诊断和预后生物标志物的潜力。该综述还探讨了针对 EVs 的治疗策略，包括改变其释放和内容、利用它们进行药物输送、遗传改变其内容以及抑制关键恶病质途径。了解 EVs 在 CC 中的作用为诊断和治疗方法开辟了新的途径，有可能减轻该综合征对患者生存和生活质量的影响。
