title: Stem Cell Markers in Neuroblastoma-An Emerging Role for LGR5.
abstract: The prognostic value of cancer stem cell markers in various cancer subtypes is a well documented research area. Our findings show that the stem cell marker Lgr5 is associated with an aggressive phenotype in neuroblastoma. Here, we discuss these findings within the context of recent studies in several cancers such as lung, colorectal and intestinal cancer, glioblastoma and ewing's sarcoma. Neuroblastoma continues to be an elusive disease, due to its heterogeneous presentation ranging from spontaneous regression to aggressive metastatic disease and intertwined genetic variability. Currently, the most significant prognostic marker of high risk disease and poor prognosis is amplification of the MYCN oncogene, which is found in approximately 25% of cases (Huang and Weiss, 2013). With this in mind, there is still much to learn about the driving mechanisms of this aggressive pediatric tumor. Neuroblastoma development is thought to be the result of aberrant differentiation of the cell of origin, embryonic neural crest cells which then migrate and invade during the developmental stage (Joshi et al., 2007). Aberrant cells are those which would, under normal conditions form the mature tissues of the sympathetic ganglia and adrenal medulla. Tumors are known to develop indiscriminately along the radius of the sympathetic ganglia, although it is well established that the adrenal glands are fundamentally the most common primary site (Jessen and Mirsky, 2005).
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Group, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Well Being, Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sunderland Sunderland, UK ; Children's Cancer Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Forgham
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Group, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Well Being, Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sunderland Sunderland, UK.
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Group, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Well Being, Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sunderland Sunderland, UK.
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Group, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Well Being, Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sunderland Sunderland, UK.
authors.forename: Stephany
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veuger
authors.affiliation: Cancer Biology Group, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Well Being, Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sunderland Sunderland, UK ; Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Newcastle Cancer Centre at The Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carr-Wilkinson
keywords: LGR5; chemoresistance; neuroblastoma; relapse