title: Nanomedicine strategies for sustained, controlled, and targeted treatment of cancer stem cells of the digestive system.
abstract: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) constitute a small proportion of the cancer cells that have self-renewal capacity and tumor-initiating ability. They have been identified in a variety of tumors, including tumors of the digestive system. CSCs exhibit some unique characteristics, which are responsible for cancer metastasis and recurrence. Consequently, the development of effective therapeutic strategies against CSCs plays a key role in increasing the efficacy of cancer therapy. Several potential approaches to target CSCs of the digestive system have been explored, including targeting CSC surface markers and signaling pathways, inducing the differentiation of CSCs, altering the tumor microenvironment or niche, and inhibiting ATP-driven efflux transporters. However, conventional therapies may not successfully eradicate CSCs owing to various problems, including poor solubility, stability, rapid clearance, poor cellular uptake, and unacceptable cytotoxicity. Nanomedicine strategies, which include drug, gene, targeted, and combinational delivery, could solve these problems and significantly improve the therapeutic index. This review briefly summarizes the ongoing development of strategies and nanomedicine-based therapies against CSCs of the digestive system.
authors: Fang-Yuan Xie, Guo-Qing Zhang, Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors: Fang-Yuan
authors: FY
authors: Xie
authors: Fang-Yuan Xie, Guo-Qing Zhang, Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors: Wei-Heng
authors: WH
authors: Xu
authors: Fang-Yuan Xie, Guo-Qing Zhang, Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors: Chuan
authors: C
authors: Yin
authors: Fang-Yuan Xie, Guo-Qing Zhang, Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors: Guo-Qing
authors: GQ
authors: Zhang
authors: Fang-Yuan Xie, Guo-Qing Zhang, Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors: Yan-Qiang
authors: YQ
authors: Zhong
authors: Fang-Yuan Xie, Guo-Qing Zhang, Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Gao
keywords: Cancer stem cells; Digestive system; Drug delivery; Gene delivery; Nanomedicine