title: Cancer stem cells: a potential target for cancer therapy.
abstract: Current evidence indicates that a subpopulation of cancer cells, named cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating cells, are responsible for the initiation, growth, metastasis, therapy resistance and recurrence of cancers. CSCs share core regulatory pathways with normal stem cells; however, CSCs rely on distinct reprogrammed pathways to maintain stemness and to contribute to the progression of cancers. The specific targeting of CSCs, together with conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy, may achieve stable remission or cure cancer. Therefore, the identification of CSCs and a better understanding of the complex characteristics of CSCs will provide invaluable diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic targets for clinical application. In this review, we will introduce the dysregulated properties of CSCs in cancers and discuss the possible challenges in targeting CSCs for cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xiaoguang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Gaoliang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ouyang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents