Review

The research advances of exosomes in esophageal cancer

*Author for correspondence:

Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, PR China

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Chenglin Zhou

Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, PR China

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Siyu He

Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, PR China

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Hong Yu

Pathology Department, Taizhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, PR China

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Ting Guo

Clinical Medical Institute, Taizhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, PR China

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Jun Ye

Clinical Medical Institute, Taizhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, PR China

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Xiaoqian Feng

Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, PR China

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Xuefeng Bian

Clinical Laboratory, Taizhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, PR China

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Published Online:4 Jun 2019https://doi.org/10.2217/bmm-2018-0314

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Abstract

Esophageal carcinoma (EC) is one of the most common human digestive tract tumors, with high morbidity and mortality. It is necessary to elucidate the mechanism of cancer progression and seek early EC diagnostic markers for prompt detection and intervention. Exosomes are membrane nanovesicles secreted from many nucleated cells, 30–100 nm in diameter, containing various proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. They exist in peripheral blood, urine, ascites and other body fluids, widely engaged with intercellular material exchange and signal communication. Exosomes secreted from EC cells or tissues conduct important functions in tumor growth and progression. The detection and analysis of tumor-derived or tumor-associated exosomes has potential for EC early diagnosis and prognosis assessment. In the present paper, the exosomes’ biological behaviors, isolation, detection and functions in EC progression – using as potential biomarkers for EC diagnosis or prognosis – are reviewed.

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Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Vol. 13, No. 8

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History

Received 12 September 2018

Accepted 4 April 2019

Published online 4 June 2019

Published in print June 2019

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Financial & competing interests disclosure

The work is financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81571797), the 333 Plan Foundation of Jiangsu, China (BRA2017173) and Taizhou People's Hospital Medical Innovation Team Foundation，China (CXTDA201901). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

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