title: Cancer stem cells in basic science and in translational oncology: can we translate into clinical application?
abstract: Since their description and identification in leukemias and solid tumors, cancer stem cells (CSC) have been the subject of intensive research in translational oncology. Indeed, recent advances have led to the identification of CSC markers, CSC targets, and the preclinical and clinical evaluation of the CSC-eradicating (curative) potential of various drugs. However, although diverse CSC markers and targets have been identified, several questions remain, such as the origin and evolution of CSC, mechanisms underlying resistance of CSC against various targeted drugs, and the biochemical basis and function of stroma cell-CSC interactions in the so-called 'stem cell niche.' Additional aspects that have to be taken into account when considering CSC elimination as primary treatment-goal are the genomic plasticity and extensive subclone formation of CSC. Notably, various cell fractions with different combinations of molecular aberrations and varying proliferative potential may display CSC function in a given neoplasm, and the related molecular complexity of the genome in CSC subsets is considered to contribute essentially to disease evolution and acquired drug resistance. In the current article, we discuss new developments in the field of CSC research and whether these new concepts can be exploited in clinical practice in the future.
authors.affiliation: Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, A-1090, Wien, Austria. axel.schulenburg@meduniwien.ac.at.|Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. axel.schulenburg@meduniwien.ac.at.|Department of Medicine I, Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090, Wien, Austria. axel.schulenburg@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schulenburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. katharina.blatt@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blatt
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. sabine.cerny-reiterer@meduniwien.ac.at.|Department of Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. sabine.cerny-reiterer@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cerny-Reiterer
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. irina.sadovnik@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sadovnik
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. harald.herrmann@meduniwien.ac.at.|Department of Radiation Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. harald.herrmann@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. brigitte.marian@meduniwien.ac.at.|Department of Medicine I, Institute for Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. brigitte.marian@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marian
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. thomas.grunt@meduniwien.ac.at.|Department of Medicine I, Division of Clinical Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. thomas.grunt@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Grunt
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. christoph.zielinski@meduniwien.ac.at.|Department of Medicine I, Division of Clinical Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. christoph.zielinski@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Christoph C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. peter.valent@meduniwien.ac.at.|Department of Medicine I, Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Wien, Austria. peter.valent@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valent
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical