ESM-1: A Novel Tumor Biomaker and its Research Advances

Background: Cancer kills nearly 9,000,000 people worldwide, and its mortality was reported up to 28% in the past decade. Few available tumor markers have been known to help early stage diagnosis. In this study, Endocan was taken as a novel tumor marker, which has been found in many cancers related to cancer cell proliferation, neoangiogenesis, etc. Methods: Studies on Endocan and its correlation with cancer were reviewed, and key points of meaningful studies on the structure, pathways and targeted agents of Endocan were drawn. Results: Endocan leads to tumorigenesis and promotes tumor cells proliferation via HGF/SF signal transmission pathway, suppresses tumor cells apoptosis via NF-kappa B signaling pathway and promotes angiogenesis within tumors via VEGF and HIF pathway. Medicine suppressing the expression of Endocan could prevent tumorigenesis and even improve survival rate of mice with tumor significantly. Conclusion: Endocan is capable of promoting prognosis of cancer patients. Moreover, Endocan is supposed to a potential target of tumor-targeted therapy.