Cancer stem cells: perspectives of new therapeutical approaches for breast cancer

Front Biosci (Schol Ed). 2011 Jun 1;3(4):1486-99. doi: 10.2741/239.

Abstract

Currently stem cells are hypothesized to play a central role in the origin, spread and resistance to treatment of breast cancer. Common anticancer therapy is effective but transient, with tumor relapse and metastatic disease often occurring. For therapy to be more effective, debulking of differentiated tumors must occur followed by targeting of the remaining surviving often quiescent tumor stem cells. New therapeutics aimed at cancer stem cells are achieved through non immunological and immunological methods. The former include elective ABC drug transporters or the heat shock protein 90 inhibition, targeting the self-renewal signalling pathways or the EMT program, differentiation therapy, or other interventions to eliminate BrCSCs. The latter include targeting specific antigens expressed on BrCSCs, dendritic cells (DCs) based vaccination and blockers of the extrinsic signals at CSC niche. Here all these novel approaches related to breast cancer stem cells are described.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / antagonists & inhibitors
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / metabolism*
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / metabolism*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / physiology
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Female
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Integrin alpha6
  • Isoenzymes
  • Lapatinib
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Models, Biological
  • Mucin-1
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Quinazolines / therapeutic use
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Retinal Dehydrogenase
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*

Substances

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Integrin alpha6
  • Isoenzymes
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Mucin-1
  • Quinazolines
  • flotillins
  • Lapatinib
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family
  • ALDH1A1 protein, human
  • Retinal Dehydrogenase
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Receptor, ErbB-2