Cancer stem cells: A contentious hypothesis now moving forward

Michael L O'Connor; Dongxi Xiang; Sarah Shigdar; Joanna Macdonald; Yong Li; Tao Wang; Chunwen Pu; Zhidong Wang; Liang Qiao; Wei Duan

doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2013.11.012

Cancer stem cells: A contentious hypothesis now moving forward

Cancer Lett. 2014 Mar 28;344(2):180-7. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.11.012. Epub 2013 Dec 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3217, Australia.
² Cancer Care Centre, St. George Hospital, and St. George Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia.
³ Dalian Sixth People's Hospital, Dalian 116033, China.
⁴ Storr Liver Unit, Westmead Millennium Institute, The University of Sydney at the Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ School of Medicine, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3217, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 24333726
DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2013.11.012

Abstract

Cancer stem cells are a progressive concept to account for the cell biological nature of cancer. Despite the controversies regarding the cancer stem cell model, it has the potential to provide a foundation for new innovative treatment targeting the roots of cancer. The last two years have witnessed exceptional progress in cancer stem cell research, in particular on solid tumours, which holds promise for improved treatment outcomes. Here, we review recent advances in cancer stem cell research, discuss challenges in the field and explore future strategies and opportunities in cancer stem cell studies to overcome resistance to chemotherapy.

Keywords: Aptamers; Cancer stem cells; Chemoresistance; Clonal evolution; Stemness.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
Humans
Neoplasms / drug therapy
Neoplasms / pathology*
Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology*