Expression of follicle stimulating hormone receptors in intra-tumoral vasculature and in tumoral cells - the involvement in tumour progression and the perspectives of application in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

In normal conditions follicle stimulating hormone receptors (FSHR) are expressed in zona granulosa cells of the ovary and Sertoli cells of the testis. However, the ectopic expression of FSHR was recently discovered in intra-tumoral blood vessels endothelia and/or in tumoral cells of many extra-gonadal human tumors (particularly in endocrine tumours). The paper reviews the data concerning the appearance of ectopic FSHR in particular human neoplasms. The possible involvement of FSHR in tumor progression and the use of FSHR examination for diagnostic purposes is also reviewed. Finally, the putative role of FSHR as a new target in oncological therapy is also discussed.