The secret life of quiescent cancer stem cells.
Quiescence represents a survival strategy adopted by cancer stem cells (CSCs) to resist harsh environmental conditions and cytotoxic insults. Recent studies show that quiescent CSCs are found in a low metabolic state in which they are exquisitely dependent on Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL, indicating new potential routes of clinical intervention.
Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine; Istituto Superiore di Sanità ; Rome, Italy.
Ann
A
Zeuner
Bcl-2 family inhibitors; cancer stem cells; chemoresistance; quiescence