Stem cells and lung cancer: future therapeutic targets?
In both the UK and USA more people die of lung cancer than any other type of cancer. Lung cancer's high mortality rate is also reflected on a global scale, with lung cancer accounting for more than 1 million deaths per year. In tissues with ordered structure such a lung epithelia, it is likely that the cancers have their origins in normal adult stem cells, and then the tumours themselves are maintained by a population of malignant stem cells - so-called cancer stem cells. This review examines both these postulates in animal models and in the clinical setting, noting that stem cell niches appear to foster tumour development, and that drug resistance can often be attributed to malignant cells with stem cell properties.
Alison
Malcolm R
MR
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Centre for Diabetes and Metabolic Medicine, London E1 2AT , UK. m.alison@qmul.ac.uk
Lebrenne
Arielle C
AC
Islam
Shahriar
S
D000818:Animals; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*