Modulatory role of 17β-estradiol in the tumor microenvironment of thyroid cancer

Abstract

Thyroid cancer (TC) is an endocrine related cancer and is well coupled with the female reproductive hormone, 17β-estradiol (estrogen). Plenty of articles have discussed the role of tumor microenvironment (TME) with different types of tumors in a broad-spectrum but the role of female reproductive hormone, that is, involvement of estrogen in TME of TC have not been reviewed elsewhere. The aim of this review is to analyze how 17β-estradiol affects the TME of TC and also that subsequently leads to progression of cancer. This review is given a new insight on: 1) the estrogen's involvement in TME of TC; 2) how it interferes with the complex cross talk of signaling pathways established between cancer cells, host cells, and their surrounding extracellular matrix; and 3) the important factors of microenvironment comprising inflammation, hypoxia, angiogenesis, metastasis, various growth factors and fibroblasts in stromal cells.

Keywords: estrogen; thyroid cancer; tumor microenvironment.