Estrogen Receptor α

Estrogen receptor α (ERα) is a subtype of estrogen nuclear receptor, widely existing in breast, uterus, testis and other organs. Its binding with estrogen can regulate gene transcription, thereby participating in the normal development and function maintaining of tissues. Some research found that ERα is expressed in about 70% of breast cancer, and its binding to estrogen may promote the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. However, endocrine therapy drugs can inhibit tumor growth by blocking the binding or reducing estrogen production, so ERα positive expression is closely related to the good prognosis of patients. In summary, ERα has guiding significance for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of estrogen target organ tumors such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer. In addition, ERα can be expressed in some non-estrogen target organ tumors, but its prognostic value is still controversial. For example, the high expression of ERα suggests better prognosis of liver cancer patients, but it can promote cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in gastric cancer.