Adipokines and Hormone-Dependent Cancers

As a class, hormone-dependent cancers, including cancers of the breast, endometrium, prostate, ovaries, and testis, contribute to the majority of cancer incidences and deaths worldwide. Along with systemic sex hormones, a large variety of heterogeneous bioactive molecules named adipokines are recognized as additional significant signaling mediators which are mainly produced by white adipose tissues and act in an autocrine, paracrine or endocrine manner to facilitate the acquisition of aggressive features in cancer. Indeed, both hormones and adipokines activate a wide array of molecular programs implicated in the regulation of several biological events involved in tumorigenesis, such as cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, metabolism, and/or resistance to anticancer therapy. Furthermore, they also contribute to landscaping the tumor microenvironment by affecting the biology of multiple cellular components (i.e. cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor-associated macrophages, adipocytes, endothelial cells, and cancer stem cells). Clearly, this complex scenario presents numerous nodes of connections and warrants a better investigation of the underlying regulatory mechanisms to better address unmet clinical needs.

This Research Topic aims to collect recent preclinical and clinical progress regarding the relationship between adipokines and hormone-dependent cancer development and progression, focusing on the potential of adipokine-mediated pathways as molecular targets in cancer therapy. Original articles and reviews are welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Keywords: cancer, adipkoines, hormone-dependent cancers

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