Efeitos de extratos e compostos biologicamente ativos no controle de células tumorais mamárias

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed malignant neoplasm worldwide, representing a major public health concern. Its origin occurs predominantly in the cells of the terminal duct lobular unit of the breast and may exhibit a luminal phenotype characterized by the expression of hormone receptors. In estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors, endocrine therapy is one of the main therapeutic strategies, targeting estrogen signaling and resulting in significant improvements in patient survival. However, resistance to endocrine therapy remains one of the major challenges in the treatment of ER-positive breast cancer, significantly compromising prognosis and contributing to disease progression. In this context, phytoestrogens have emerged as biologically active plant-derived compounds capable of interacting with estrogen receptors and modulating several pathways involved in cell proliferation and survival. This review summarizes the main phytoestrogens and other natural compounds structurally similar to 17β-estradiol, with emphasis on their mechanisms of action and effects described in ER-positive breast tumor cells. Thus, this study aims to discuss the potential of these compounds as adjuvant agents or candidates for further investigation in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer resistant to endocrine therapy.