title: Cancer stem cell markers: premises and prospects.
abstract: Over the last decade, compelling evidence has shown that cancer stem cells (CSCs) exist in a variety of malignancies. The conventional method for anticancer therapy involves targeting only the proliferating mitotic cells, sparing the slow-cycling cells that eventually evade chemotherapy and become a source of post therapy relapses. With the increasing awareness of CSCs supported by sophisticated experimental evidence, therapeutic strategies today are aimed at selectively identifying and targeting CSCs using biomarkers. The ability to identify CSCs allows targeted elimination of these cancer-initiating cells. Herein, we discuss CSC markers in the context of different types of cancers, their significance in selectively identifying CSCs and the therapeutic implications of using these biomarkers to prevent invasion and metastasis of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Symbiosis School of Biomedical Sciences (SSBS), Symbiosis International University (SIU), Symbiosis Knowledge Village, Gram: Lavale, Taluka: Mulshi, District: Pune 412115, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Madhura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murar
authors.affiliation: Symbiosis School of Biomedical Sciences (SSBS), Symbiosis International University (SIU), Symbiosis Knowledge Village, Gram: Lavale, Taluka: Mulshi, District: Pune 412115, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Anuradha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaidya
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: cancer; cancer stem cells; cell surface markers; therapeutic targets