title: Brain tumor stem cells as research and treatment targets.
abstract: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most malignant forms of human cancer. Despite intensive treatment, the mean survival of GBM patients remains about 1 year. Recent cancer studies revealed that cancer tissues are pathologically heterogeneous and only a small population of cells has the specific ability to reinitiate cancer. This small cell population is called cancer stem cells (CSCs); in brain tumors these are known as brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs). The identification of BTSCs yielded new insights into chemo-and radioresistance, by which BTSCs can survive selectively and initiate recurrence. Research focused on BTSCs as treatment targets may contribute to the discovery of new therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Cell Lineage Modulation, Center for Developmental Biology, RIKEN, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan. thide@fc.kuh.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takuichiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hide
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takezaki
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuratsu
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018450:Disease Progression; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents