Tumor relapse and treatment failure are unfortunately common events for cancer patients, thus often rendering cancer an uncurable disease. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subset of cancer cells endowed with tumor-initiating and self-renewal capacity, as well as with high adaptive abilities. Altogether, these features contribute to CSC survival after one or multiple therapeutic approaches, thus leading to treatment failure and tumor progression/relapse. Thus, elucidating the molecular mechanisms associated with stemness-driven resistance is crucial for the development of more effective drugs and durable responses. This review will highlight the mechanisms exploited by CSCs to overcome different therapeutic strategies, from chemo-and radiotherapies to targeted therapies and immunotherapies, shedding light on their plasticity as an insidious trait responsible for their adaptation/escape. Finally, novel CSC-specific approaches will be described, providing evidence of their preclinical and clinical applications.

Cancer Stem Cells—Key Players in Tumor Relapse / M. Marzagalli, F. Fontana, M. Raimondi, P. Limonta. - In: CANCERS. - ISSN 2072-6694. - 13:3(2021), pp. 376.1-376.22.

Cancer Stem Cells—Key Players in Tumor Relapse

M. Marzagalli
;
F. Fontana;M. Raimondi;P. Limonta
2021

Abstract

Tumor relapse and treatment failure are unfortunately common events for cancer patients, thus often rendering cancer an uncurable disease. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subset of cancer cells endowed with tumor-initiating and self-renewal capacity, as well as with high adaptive abilities. Altogether, these features contribute to CSC survival after one or multiple therapeutic approaches, thus leading to treatment failure and tumor progression/relapse. Thus, elucidating the molecular mechanisms associated with stemness-driven resistance is crucial for the development of more effective drugs and durable responses. This review will highlight the mechanisms exploited by CSCs to overcome different therapeutic strategies, from chemo-and radiotherapies to targeted therapies and immunotherapies, shedding light on their plasticity as an insidious trait responsible for their adaptation/escape. Finally, novel CSC-specific approaches will be described, providing evidence of their preclinical and clinical applications.
cancer stem cells; drug resistance; molecular mechanisms; chemotherapy; radiation therapy; targeted therapies; immunotherapies
Settore BIO/13 - Biologia Applicata
2021
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/812573
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