title: Cancer stem cells, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and drug resistance in high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma.
abstract: Although epithelial ovarian cancer cells are eliminated by debulking surgery and chemotherapy during initial treatment, it is believed that only a subset of cancer cells, that is, cancer stem cells, may be an important source of tumor recurrence and drug resistance. This review highlights our current understanding of high-grade serous carcinoma, ovarian cancer stem cells, common methods for enrichment of ovarian cancer stem cells, mechanisms involved in drug resistance, and potential strategies for overcoming drug resistance, with associated potential controversies and pitfalls. We also review the potential relationship between epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells and how we can induce cancer cells to differentiate into benign stromal fibroblasts in response to certain chemotherapy drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China; State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaoxiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hongxia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D017154:Stromal Cells
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Cancer stem cell; Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; High-grade ovarian serous cancer