title: The role of steroid hormones in breast cancer stem cells.
abstract: Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are potent tumor-initiating cells in breast cancer, the most common cancer among women. BCSCs have been suggested to play a key role in tumor initiation which can lead to disease progression and formation of metastases. Moreover, BCSCs are thought to be the unit of selection for therapy-resistant clones since they survive conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy, irradiation, and hormonal therapy. The importance of the role of hormones for both normal mammary gland and breast cancer development is well established, but it was not until recently that the effects of hormones on BCSCs have been investigated. This review will discuss recent studies highlighting how ovarian steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone, as well as therapies against them, can regulate BCSC activity.
authors.affiliation: Breast Biology GroupBreast Cancer Now Research Unit, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UKDepartment of Medical OncologyThe Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK Bruno.Simoes@ics.manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Bruno M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.affiliation: Breast Biology GroupBreast Cancer Now Research Unit, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UKDepartment of Medical OncologyThe Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.
authors.forename: Denis G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Alferez
authors.affiliation: Breast Biology GroupBreast Cancer Now Research Unit, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UKDepartment of Medical OncologyThe Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK Breast Biology GroupBreast Cancer Now Research Unit, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UKDepartment of Medical OncologyThe Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.
authors.forename: Sacha J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.affiliation: Breast Biology GroupBreast Cancer Now Research Unit, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UKDepartment of Medical OncologyThe Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002455:Cell Division; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000502:physiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D019899:Paracrine Communication; D011374:Progesterone / Q000502:physiology*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000502:physiology; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D004967:Estrogens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011374:Progesterone
keywords: breast; cancer stem cells; estrogen receptor; mammary gland; progesterone receptor