Cancer stem cells may contribute to the difficulty in treating cancer

摘要: Tumour heterogeneity is a phenomenon where each cell that makes up tumour, contains mutations differ from of other cells in the tumour. The clonal evolution and cancer stem theories formation, have been used to explain tumour heterogeneity. both point existence within are capable initiating different location. While theory argues all possess this ability, only few (cancer or CSCs) ability seed Data supporting accumulating. Researchers targeted these CSCs therapeutically, hypothesizing since ‘drivers’ progression, their death may inhibit progression. This was foiled by plasticity, whereby non-CSC spontaneously de-differentiates into CSC. now working on combinations kill non-CSCs as well drugs prevent non-CSC-to-CSC transition. review concisely describes how they contribute difficulty treating cancer.