Cancer stem cells in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Identification, prognostic and treatment perspectives.
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a vital subpopulation of cells to target for the treatment of cancers. In oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), there are several markers such as CD44, ALDH, Pygo2, MAML1, Twist1, Musashi1, Side population (SP), CD271 and CD90 that have been proposed to identify the cancer stem cells in individual cancer masses. It has also been demonstrated that stem cell markers like ALDH1, HIWI, Oct3/4, ABCG2, SOX2, SALL4, BMI-1, NANOG, CD133 and podoplanin are associated with patient's prognosis, pathological stages, cancer recurrence and therapy resistance. Finding new cancer stem cell targets or designing drugs to manipulate the known molecular targets in CSCs could be useful for improvements in clinical outcomes of the disease. To conclude, data suggest that CSCs in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma are related to resistance to therapy and poor prognosis of patients with ESCC. Therefore, innovative insights into CSC biology and CSC-targeted therapies will help to achieve more effective management of patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Farhadul
F
Islam
Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Vinod
V
Gopalan
Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Riajul
R
Wahab
Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Robert A
RA
Smith
Cancer Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: a.lam@griffith.edu.au.
Alfred K-Y
AK
Lam
D000071916:AC133 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000502:physiology; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis
D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; C527782:SOX2 protein, human; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; C510223:ALDH1A1 protein, human; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase
CSC biology; CSC markers; Cancer stem cell; Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma