Estrogen Signaling and Its Potential As a Target for Therapy in Ovarian Cancer

Overview

Journal Cancers (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Oncology

Date 2020 Jun 26

PMID 32580290

Citations 42

Authors

Simon P Langdon

C Simon Herrington

Robert L Hollis

Charlie Gourley

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The estrogen receptor (ER) has functionality in selected ovarian cancer subtypes and represents a potential target for therapy. The majority (>80%) of high grade serous, low grade serous and endometrioid carcinomas and many granulosa cell tumors express ER-alpha (ERα), and these tumor types have demonstrated responses to endocrine therapy (tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors) in multiple clinical studies. Biomarkers of responses to these drugs are actively being sought to help identify responsive cancers. Evidence for both pro-proliferative and pro-migratory roles for ERα has been obtained in model systems. ER-beta (ERβ) is generally considered to have a tumor suppressor role in ovarian cancer cells, being associated with the repression of cell growth and invasion. The differential expression of the specific ERβ isoforms may determine functionality within ovarian cancer cells. The more recently identified G protein-coupled receptor (GPER1; GPR30) has been shown to mediate both tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting action in ovarian cancer cells, suggesting a more complex role. This review will summarize recent findings in this field.

Citing Articles

Synthesis and Anticancer Evaluation of -Alkylated (-Chalcone Derivatives: A Focus on Estrogen Receptor Inhibition.

Al-Ghamdi A, Ahmed W, Al-Wabli R, Al-Mutairi M, Rahman A Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(2).

PMID: 39859546 PMC: 11766267. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26020833.

Learning to Train and to Explain a Deep Survival Model with Large-Scale Ovarian Cancer Transcriptomic Data.

Spirina Menand E, De Vries-Brilland M, Tessier L, Dauve J, Campone M, Verriele V Biomedicines. 2025; 12(12.

PMID: 39767787 PMC: 11673231. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12122881.

Transcription factors and hormone receptors: Sex‑specific targets for cancer therapy (Review).

Kim J, Bang H, Seong C, Kim E, Kim S Oncol Lett. 2024; 29(2):93.

PMID: 39691589 PMC: 11650965. DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14839.

PGRMC1 and PAQR4 are promising molecular targets for a rare subtype of ovarian cancer.

Kozlowska-Tomczyk K, Borski N, Glod P, Gogola-Mruk J, Ptak A Open Life Sci. 2024; 19(1):20220982.

PMID: 39464509 PMC: 11512499. DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0982.

Novel Endocrine Therapeutic Opportunities for Estrogen Receptor-Positive Ovarian Cancer-What Can We Learn from Breast Cancer?.

Ottenbourgs T, Van Nieuwenhuysen E Cancers (Basel). 2024; 16(10).

PMID: 38791941 PMC: 11119209. DOI: 10.3390/cancers16101862.

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