Targeting the perpetrator: breast cancer stem cell therapeutics

Curr Drug Targets. 2010 Sep;11(9):1147-56. doi: 10.2174/138945010792006843.

Abstract

The hypothesis that tumors may originate from a rare population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has gained tremendous popularity in recent years and is supported extensively by several pioneering works. Cancer therapies targeting CSCs have unlimited potential for relapse free survival of cancer patients. As a result, knowledge of biological pathways that govern CSCs is very important and this review is focused on the biology of CSCs with special emphasis on breast CSCs, and recent advances in therapeutic approaches targeting them.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, SCID
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy*
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / drug effects*
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • MicroRNAs