Concise Review: Emerging Concepts in Clinical Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells

• Authors: Zeshann A. Rasheed, Johns Hopkins University; Jeanne Kowalski, Emory University; B. Douglas Smith, Johns Hopkins University; William Matsui, Johns Hopkins University
• Journal Title: STEM CELLS
• Volume: Volume 29, Number 6
• Publisher: WILEY-BLACKWELL | 2011-06-01, Pages 883-887
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/stem.648
• Subjects: Biology, Cell; Health Sciences, Oncology
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Cell & Tissue Engineering; Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology; Oncology; Cell Biology; Hematology; Cancer stem cells; Metastasis; Drug resistance; Antineoplastic agents; CHRONIC MYELOID-LEUKEMIA; TUMOR-INITIATING CELLS; CHRONIC MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA; MULTIPLE-MYELOMA; BREAST-CANCER; HEDGEHOG PATHWAY; INTERFERON-ALPHA; OLDER PATIENTS; IMATINIB; CHEMOTHERAPY

Abstract

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are functionally defined by their ability to self-renew and recapitulate tumors in the ectopic setting. They have been identified in a growing number of human malignancies and their association with poor clinical outcomes has suggested that they are the major factors in dictating clinical outcomes. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated that CSCs may display other functional attributes, such as drug resistance and invasion and migration, that implicate a broad role in clinical oncology spanning initial tumor formation, relapse following treatment, and disease progression. Although our knowledge regarding the basic biology of CSCs continues to improve, proof that they are clinically relevant is still lacking, and translation of the CSC hypothesis from the laboratory to the clinic is of paramount importance. We will review current evidence supporting the role of CSCs in clinical oncology and discuss potential barriers and strategies in designing trials examining CSC-targeting agents.