More than two-thirds of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients are diagnosed at advanced stages due to the lack of sensitive biomarkers. Currently, exosomes are intensively investigated as non-invasive cancer diagnostic markers. Exosomes are nanovesicles released in the extracellular milieu with the potential to modulate recipient cells' behavior. EOC cells release many altered exosomal cargoes that exhibit clinical relevance to tumor progression. Exosomes represent powerful therapeutic tools (drug carriers or vaccines), posing a promising option in clinical practice for curing EOC in the near future. In this review, we highlight the importance of exosomes in cell-cell communication, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and their potential to serve as diagnostic and prognostic factors, particularly in EOC.
Keywords: biomarkers; cell-free messengers; exosomes; molecular cargo; ovarian cancer.
Exosomes are nanovesicles released in the extracellular milieu by diverse cell types and serve as carriers of proteins, and nucleic acids, with the potential to modulate the recipient cells. Understanding the functions of exosomes as messengers between cancer and healthy cells unfolds new avenues in intercellular signaling mechanisms. In this review, we have highlighted the importance of exosomes in cell–cell communication and their potential to serve as diagnostic and prognostic factors in EOC. Furthermore, we believe that exosomes could represent a powerful therapeutic tool due to their ability to function as drug carriers or vaccines posing a promising option in curing EOC.
© 2023 The Authors.