Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a β-galactoside–binding lectin that recognizes N- and O-linked glycans on cell-surface and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. In cancer, Gal-1 is consistently pro-tumorigenic, acting at the intersection of immune suppression, angiogenesis, invasion, and therapy resistance.
-Upregulated in many tumors: glioma, pancreatic, lung, breast (esp. TNBC), colorectal, melanoma, head & neck.
-High Gal-1 correlates with:
-Advanced stage and metastasis
-Poor overall survival
-Resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy
Core Oncogenic Functions
| Rank | Function | Net Effect |
| ---- | ---------------------- | ---------- |
| 1 | Immune evasion | ↑ |
| 2 | Angiogenesis | ↑ |
| 3 | Invasion & metastasis | ↑ |
| 4 | Therapy resistance | ↑ |
| 5 | Tumor–stroma crosstalk | ↑ |
|