Recent research on cancer has generated a new model for cancer growth-cancer stem cell model. This model can explain the inefficiency of conventional therapy. Tumor tissue, like normal tissue, is continuously repopulated from pools of self-renewing stem cells growing in a "niche", which is made up of a specialized vascular bed of endothelial cells, associated cells of mesenchymal origin and ext...

Tumors are composed of different types of cancer cells that contribute to tumor heterogeneity. Among these populations of cells, cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in cancer initiation and progression. Like their stem cells counterpart, CSCs are also characterized by self-renewal and the capacity to differentiate. A particular population of CSCs is constituted by mesenchymal stem c...

Breast cancer is the most common type of malignancy among females. Previous studies examining breast cancer tissue have demonstrated the presence of stem cells, and have detected octamer‑binding protein 4 (Oct4) and Nanog transcription factor expression. In the present study, breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) were isolated and enriched from MDA‑MB‑231 breast cancer cell lines, and were defined as...

The identification of functionally relevant subpopulations of therapy-resistant cancer cells is a challenge. These cells, intrinsically resistant to conventional therapy, can cause recurrence. Evidence has suggested that therapy-resistant cancer cells are likely epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) cells and/or stem-like cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs). EMT, a normal embryological proc...

Stemness combines the ability of a cell to perpetuate its lineage, to give rise to differentiated cells, and to interact with its environment to maintain a balance between quiescence, proliferation, and regeneration. While adult Stem Cells display these properties when participating in tissue homeostasis, Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) behave as their malignant equivalents. CSCs display stemness in v...

Although cancer treatment has progressed significantly since the emergence of scientific oncology in the early 19th century, the disease remains incurable. Almost all deaths among cancer patients are attributed to treatment resistance, relapse, and metastasis. Yet, the mechanisms of resistance and disease spread are unclear.Mounting experimental and clinical evidence suggests that the stem cell...

Background: Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is one of the most commonly used markers cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, diagnostic and prognostic significance EpCAM in lung remains largely undetermined. In present study, we systematically summarized elucidated correlation between overexpression through a meta-analysis.

The Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) hypothesis postulates that a minute subpopulation of cells is accountable for cancer initiation and progression. Unlike the stochastic and clonal evolution models, the CSC theory proposes that tumours are hierarchical and only the rare subset of cells at the top of the 'stemness hierarchy tree' are adequately 'equipped' biologically to initiate and drive tumourigene...

Glioblastoma multiforme is an aggressive malignant brain tumor with terminal consequences. A primary reason for its resistance to treatment is associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs), of which there are currently no effective ways to destroy. It remains unclear what cancer cells become a target of stem cell migration, what the role of this process is in oncogenesis and what stem cell lines sho...

Long-lived cancer stem cells (CSCs) with indefinite proliferative potential have been identified in multiple epithelial cancer types. These cells are likely derived from transformed adult stem cells and are thought to share many characteristics with their parental population, including a quiescent slow-cycling phenotype. Various label-retaining techniques have been used to identify normal slow ...