TY - JOUR
T1 - Do steroid hormones play a role in the etiology of glioma?
AU - Kabat, Geoffrey C.
AU - Etgen, Anne M.
AU - Rohan, Thomas E.
PY - 2010/10
Y1 - 2010/10
N2 - Gliomas are the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor and have a very poor prognosis. Little is known, however, about the etiology of these tumors. Evidence from a number of sources suggests that endogenous steroid hormones may play a role in the development of gliomas. First, the descriptive epidemiology of glioma suggests a relative protection of females compared with males, particularly during the premenopausal years. Second, some gliomas and glioblastomas express estrogen receptors (ER), especially ERβ, as well as aromatase, the enzyme responsible for the conversion of testosterone to estradiol, and possibly other steroid hormone receptors. Third, experimental studies indicate that glioblastomas transplanted into animals grow at a slower rate in females compared with males. Finally, experimental studies show that estradiol, 2-methoxyestradiol, and a number of selective estrogen receptor modulators inhibit proliferation of gliomas and induce cell death. These hormonal agonists and antagonists may act either through classical steroid hormone receptors or independently of such receptors. In view of these findings, further clinical, experimental, and epidemiologic studies are needed to elucidate the role of steroid hormone agonists and antagonists in the development and proliferation of glioma. If hormonal pathways are involved in gliomagenesis, this could eventually lead to the design of preventive strategies.
AB - Gliomas are the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor and have a very poor prognosis. Little is known, however, about the etiology of these tumors. Evidence from a number of sources suggests that endogenous steroid hormones may play a role in the development of gliomas. First, the descriptive epidemiology of glioma suggests a relative protection of females compared with males, particularly during the premenopausal years. Second, some gliomas and glioblastomas express estrogen receptors (ER), especially ERβ, as well as aromatase, the enzyme responsible for the conversion of testosterone to estradiol, and possibly other steroid hormone receptors. Third, experimental studies indicate that glioblastomas transplanted into animals grow at a slower rate in females compared with males. Finally, experimental studies show that estradiol, 2-methoxyestradiol, and a number of selective estrogen receptor modulators inhibit proliferation of gliomas and induce cell death. These hormonal agonists and antagonists may act either through classical steroid hormone receptors or independently of such receptors. In view of these findings, further clinical, experimental, and epidemiologic studies are needed to elucidate the role of steroid hormone agonists and antagonists in the development and proliferation of glioma. If hormonal pathways are involved in gliomagenesis, this could eventually lead to the design of preventive strategies.
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U2 - 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0658
DO - 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0658
M3 - Short survey
C2 - 20841389
AN - SCOPUS:77958036159
SN - 1055-9965
VL - 19
SP - 2421
EP - 2427
JO - Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention
JF - Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention
IS - 10
ER -