Increasing evidence indicates that estrogen promotes tumor growth in both estrogen target organs and non-target organs. Estrogen regulates cell proliferation and differentiation via two different receptors, estrogen receptors α and β (ERα and ERβ). In recent decades, with the clarification of the ERα-mediated signaling pathways in breast cancer, targeted therapy through these pathways have successfully been used in clinical application. Tamoxifen, the classic representative, is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). Along with the elucidation of the role of estrogen in the pathophysiology of lung cancer, targeted lung cancer treatment based on the ER signaling pathways is also gradually being applied and it could become an important part of the comprehensive treatment for lung cancer.
越来越多的证据表明，雌激素对多种肿瘤的发生发展有促进作用，不仅包括雌激素靶器官肿瘤，还包括非靶器官肿瘤。雌激素通过两种不同的雌激素受体（estrogen receptor, ER）亚型——ERα和ERβ来发挥其调节作用，介导细胞增殖和分化。近几十年来，随着ERα介导的信号通路在乳腺癌中作用的阐明，针对ER信号的靶向治疗已经成功地应用于临床，其经典药物他莫昔芬是一种选择性雌激素受体调节剂（selective estrogen receptor modulator, SERM）。随着雌激素在肺癌恶性进展中的作用逐渐为人们所认识，针对ER信号通路的靶向治疗在肺癌中的应用也逐渐受到重视，并将有可能成为肺癌综合治疗的重要组成部分。