Cancer is a deadly disease that is globally and consistently one of the leading causes of mortality every year. Despite the availability of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and surgery, a cure for cancer has not been attained. Recently, exosomes have gained significant attention due to the therapeutic potential of their various components including proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, miRNAs, and lncRNAs. Exosomes constitute a set of tiny extracellular vesicles with an approximate diameter of 30–100 nm. They are released from different cells and are present in biofluids including blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and urine. They perform crucial multifaceted functions in the malignant progression of cancer via autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine communications. The ability of exosomes to carry different cargoes including drug and molecular information to recipient cells make them a novel tool for cancer therapeutics. In this review, we discuss the major components of exosomes and their role in cancer progression. We also review important literature about the potential role of exosomes as vaccines and delivery carriers in the context of cancer therapeutics.

癌症是一种致命的疾病，在全球范围内一直是每年导致死亡的主要原因之一。尽管可以使用化学疗法、放射疗法、免疫疗法和手术疗法，但尚未治愈癌症。最近，外泌体因其各种成分（包括蛋白质、脂质、核酸、miRNA 和 lncRNA）的治疗潜力而备受关注。外泌体由一组直径约为 30-100 nm 的微小细胞外囊泡组成。它们从不同的细胞中释放出来，存在于生物体液中，包括血液、脑脊液 (CSF) 和尿液。它们通过自分泌、旁分泌和内分泌通讯在癌症的恶性进展中发挥关键的多方面功能。外泌体携带不同货物（包括药物和分子信息）到受体细胞的能力使它们成为癌症治疗的新工具。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了外泌体的主要成分及其在癌症进展中的作用。我们还回顾了关于外泌体在癌症治疗中作为疫苗和递送载体的潜在作用的重要文献。