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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

A Brain Tumor/Organotypic Slice Co-culture System for Studying Tumor Microenvironment and Targeted Drug Therapies
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The Role of Estrogen Signaling Pathway and Targeted Therapy Exploration in Urological Tumors

Cunzhen Ma1, Lin Yang1, Weijia Li1

  • 1Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

International Journal of Biological Sciences
|January 29, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Estrogen receptors (ERα, ERβ, GPER) play dual roles in urological cancers, impacting tumor growth. Targeting these estrogen signaling pathways offers potential for novel, personalized therapies in urologic oncology.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Endocrinology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Urological cancers traditionally linked to androgen signaling.
  • Estrogen signaling is increasingly recognized as a key regulator in cancer development and progression.
  • Estrogen receptors (ERα, ERβ, GPER) influence critical cellular processes like proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis in urological malignancies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the complex roles of estrogen receptors in urological cancer.
  • To explore the potential of targeting estrogen receptor pathways for novel therapeutic strategies.
  • To shift the paradigm of estrogen's role in cancer biology and advance urological oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on estrogen signaling in urological cancers.
  • Analysis of genomic and non-genomic pathways modulated by estrogen receptors.
  • Examination of the dual roles of estrogen receptors in tumor growth promotion and inhibition.

Main Results:

  • Estrogen receptors exert dual roles, promoting or inhibiting tumor growth through both genomic and non-genomic pathways.
  • Estrogen receptor status presents both a challenge and a potential therapeutic target in urological tumors.
  • Targeting estrogen receptor pathways shows promise for advanced or therapy-resistant urological cancers.

Conclusions:

  • Estrogen signaling is a critical factor in urological cancer progression, with complex and often opposing effects.
  • Targeting estrogen receptors offers novel therapeutic avenues, potentially leading to more specific and less toxic treatments.
  • Understanding estrogen receptor mechanisms can enable personalized treatment regimens for improved clinical outcomes in urological oncology.
Keywords:
ERα and ERβGPERestrogen receptorsestrogen signalingtargeted therapyurological tumors

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