title: Heating cancer stem cells to reduce tumor relapse.
abstract: Tumour relapse is believed to be caused by rare cancer-cells with stem-cell properties (cancer stem cells) that are intrinsically resistant to available treatments. The identification of novel strategies to increase their sensitivity has major clinical implications. Latest clinical trials have shown a positive antitumoral effect of hyperthermia in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In a recent paper, the combination of increased temperature at the tumour site, generated by laser treatment of intravenously-injected gold nanoshells, and ionizing radiations enhances radiosensitivity of cancer stem cells and tumor response. At the root of the success of hyperthermia in enhancing radio-sensitization of cancer stem cells is the inhibition of their capacity to repair DNA damage, affecting the survival rate of these cells.
authors.affiliation: European Institute of Oncology, Department of Experimental Oncology, Milan, Italy. piergiuseppe.pelicci@ifom-ieo-campus.it
authors.forename: Pier Giuseppe
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Pelicci
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orecchia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D013312:Stress, Physiological