细胞自噬在多种癌症类型中发挥着复杂的作用，包括内分泌依赖性癌症，通过提供细胞代谢的燃料和清除受损基质。这种保守的循环过程在肿瘤类型中有双重功能，在早期阶段可以抑制肿瘤，但在已建立的疾病中可以促进肿瘤。本研究重点探讨自噬在内分泌依赖性肿瘤中在癌症发生、肿瘤发生、转移和治疗反应方面的争议性角色。我们总结了迄今为止的临床试验结果，并强调在内分泌依赖性肿瘤尤其是乳腺癌和前列腺癌中需要进行更多的机制、临床前和临床研究。©作者（S）2023。由牛津大学出版社代表内分泌学会出版。

Autophagy plays a complex role in several cancer types, including endocrine-dependent cancers, by fueling cellular metabolism and clearing damaged substrates. This conserved recycling process has a dual function across tumor types where it can be tumor suppressive at early stages but tumor promotional in established disease. This review highlights the controversial roles of autophagy in endocrine-dependent tumors regarding cancer initiation, tumorigenesis, metastasis, and treatment response. We summarize clinical trial results thus far and highlight the need for additional mechanistic, pre-clinical and clinical studies in endocrine-dependent tumors particularly in breast cancer and prostate cancer.© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society.