Exploring exosomes: novel diagnostic and therapeutic frontiers in thyroid cancer

Front Pharmacol. 2024 Nov 8:15:1431581. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1431581. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

In recent years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has surged globally, posing significant challenges in its diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Exosomes, as a class of extracellular vesicles, are secreted by nearly all cell types and encapsulate a variety of nucleic acids and proteins reflective of their cell of origin, thereby facilitating critical intercellular communication. Recent advancements in understanding these exosomes have catalyzed their application in oncology, particularly through uncovering their roles in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy of cancers. Notably, the latest literature highlights the integral role of exosomes in refining diagnostic techniques, enhancing targeted therapies, optimizing radiotherapy outcomes, and advancing immunotherapeutic approaches in thyroid cancer management. This review provides a current synthesis of the implications of exosomes in thyroid cancer tumorigenesis and progression, as well as their emerging applications in diagnosis and treatment strategies. Furthermore, we discuss the profound clinical potential of exosome-based interventions in managing thyroid cancer, serving as a foundational reference for future therapeutic developments.

Keywords: diagnosis; exosome; therapy; thyroid cancer; tumorigenesis.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This review was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province (2023NSFSC1501); the Excellent Youth Project of Sichuan Cancer Hospital (YB2023017); the Chengdu key research and development support plan (2019-YF09-00095-SN).