Cancer stem cells: an approach to identify newer therapeutic targets

Abstract

Several studies have shown the existence of cancer stem cells and suggested that they might have a role to play in chemotherapy resistance and radioresistance. Their survival skills may be the contributing factor to incomplete remission of tumors and relapse of tumors periodically followed with metastasis. The irrefutable proof of existence of cancer stem cells in hematopoietic system made way for studies with solid tumors in quest for a similar phenomenon which may be exploited to tumor therapy. Advances have been made in this field and one is poised to utilize properties of the cancer stem cells to generate fresh drugs. Recent finding suggesting ROS related genes as one of the mechanisms by which the cancer stem cells can generate resistance is a hope towards new therapeutic avenues.