scholarly journals Therapeutic Targeting Strategies of Cancer Stem Cells in Gastrointestinal Malignancies

Biomedicines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Sonbol ◽  
Daniel Ahn ◽  
Tanios Bekaii-Saab
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Cancer Stem Cells ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Treatment Resistance ◽  
Cancer Growth ◽  
Distinct Population ◽  
Therapeutic Targeting ◽  
Gastrointestinal Malignancies ◽  
Novel Treatment ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to be a distinct population of cells within a tumor mass that are capable of asymmetric division and known to have chemoresistant characteristics. The description and identification of CSC models in cancer growth and recurrence has inspired the design of novel treatment strategies to overcome treatment resistance by targeting both CSCs and non-CSC tumor cells. Several cellular signaling pathways have been described as playing a role in the induction and maintenance of stemness in CSCs, such as the Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, STAT3, and Hedgehog pathways. In this review, we aim to review some of the ongoing CSC therapeutic targeting strategies in gastrointestinal malignancies.

scholarly journals Adult Neurogenesis and Glial Oncogenesis: When the Process Fails

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chary Marquez Batista ◽  
Eric Domingos Mariano ◽  
Breno José Alencar Pires Barbosa ◽  
Matthias Morgalla ◽  
Suely Kazue Nagahashi Marie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Cancer Stem Cells ◽  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Tumor Formation ◽  
Glial Tumor ◽  
Novel Treatment ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies ◽  
High Degree

Malignant brain tumors, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), are known for their high degree of invasiveness, aggressiveness, and lethality. These tumors are made up of heterogeneous cell populations and only a small part of these cells (known as cancer stem cells) is responsible for the initiation and recurrence of the tumor. The biology of cancer stem cells and their role in brain tumor growth and therapeutic resistance has been extensively investigated. Recent work suggests that glial tumors arise from neural stem cells that undergo a defective process of differentiation. The understanding of this process might permit the development of novel treatment strategies targeting cancer stem cells. In the present review, we address the mechanisms underlying glial tumor formation, paying special attention to cancer stem cells and the role of the microenvironment in preserving them and promoting tumor growth. Recent advancements in cancer stem cell biology, especially regarding tumor initiation and resistance to chemo- or radiotherapy, have led to the development of novel treatment strategies that focus on the niche of the stem cells that make up the tumor. Encouraging results from preclinical studies predict that these findings will be translated into the clinical field in the near future.

scholarly journals Novel Treatment Strategies Utilizing Immune Reactions against Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Stem Cells

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 5435
Author(s):  
Maiko Matsushita
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia ◽  
Kinase Inhibitors ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Myelogenous Leukemia ◽  
Novel Treatment ◽  
Car T ◽  
Treatment Free Remission ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies ◽  
Patients Experience

Introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has improved the prognosis of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and treatment-free remission (TFR) is now a treatment goal. However, about half of the patients experience molecular relapse after cessation of TKIs, suggesting that leukemic stem cells (LSCs) are resistant to TKIs. Eradication of the remaining LSCs using immunotherapies including interferon-alpha, vaccinations, CAR-T cells, and other drugs would be a key strategy to achieve TFR.

scholarly journals Advances in Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells within the Tumor Microenvironment: An Updated Review

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Dzobo ◽  
Dimakatso Alice Senthebane ◽  
Chelene Ganz ◽  
Nicholas Ekow Thomford ◽  
Ambroise Wonkam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Cancer Stem Cells ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Cancer Recurrence ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Microenvironmental Factors ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies

Despite great strides being achieved in improving cancer patients’ outcomes through better therapies and combinatorial treatment, several hurdles still remain due to therapy resistance, cancer recurrence and metastasis. Drug resistance culminating in relapse continues to be associated with fatal disease. The cancer stem cell theory posits that tumors are driven by specialized cancer cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are a subpopulation of cancer cells known to be resistant to therapy and cause metastasis. Whilst the debate on whether CSCs are the origins of the primary tumor rages on, CSCs have been further characterized in many cancers with data illustrating that CSCs display great abilities to self-renew, resist therapies due to enhanced epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) properties, enhanced expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) membrane transporters, activation of several survival signaling pathways and increased immune evasion as well as DNA repair mechanisms. CSCs also display great heterogeneity with the consequential lack of specific CSC markers presenting a great challenge to their targeting. In this updated review we revisit CSCs within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and present novel treatment strategies targeting CSCs. These promising strategies include targeting CSCs-specific properties using small molecule inhibitors, immunotherapy, microRNA mediated inhibitors, epigenetic methods as well as targeting CSC niche-microenvironmental factors and differentiation. Lastly, we present recent clinical trials undertaken to try to turn the tide against cancer by targeting CSC-associated drug resistance and metastasis.

scholarly journals Advances in Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells within the Tumor Microenvironment: An Updated Review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimakatso Alice Senthebane ◽  
Chelene Ganz ◽  
Nicholas Ekow Thomford ◽  
Kevin Dzobo
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Cancer Stem Cells ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Cancer Recurrence ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Repair Mechanisms ◽  
Microenvironmental Factors ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies

Despite great strides being achieved in improving cancer patients’ outcomes through better therapies and combinatorial treatment, several hurdles still remain due to therapy resistance, cancer recurrence and metastasis. Drug resistance, culminating in relapse and metastatic disease continue to be associated with fatal disease. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cancer cells known to be resistant to therapy and cause metastasis. Whilst the debate on whether CSCs are the origins of the primary tumor rages on, CSCs have been further characterised in many cancers with data illustrating that CSCs display great abilities to self-renew, withstand therapies due to enhanced epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) properties, enhanced expression of ABC membrane transporters, activation of several survival signaling pathways and increased immune evasion DNA repair mechanisms. CSCs also display great heterogeneity with the consequential lack of specific CSC markers presenting a great challenge to their targeting. In this updated review we re-visit CSCs within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and present novel treatment strategies targeting CSCs. These promising strategies include targeting CSCs-specific properties using small molecule inhibitors, immunotherapy, microRNA mediated inhibitors, epigenetic methods as well as targeting CSC niche-microenvironmental factors and differentiation. Lastly, we present recent clinical trials undertaken to try to turn the tide against cancer by targeting CSC-associated drug resistance and metastasis.

scholarly journals Unique Genomic Landscape of High-Grade Neuroendocrine Cervical Carcinoma: Implications for Rethinking Current Treatment Paradigms

2020 ◽  
pp. 972-987
Author(s):  
Ramez N. Eskander ◽  
Julia Elvin ◽  
Laurie Gay ◽  
Jeffrey S. Ross ◽  
Vincent A. Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Novel Treatment ◽  
Sample Average ◽  
Genomic Landscape ◽  
Comprehensive Genomic Profiling ◽  
Tumor Mutational Burden ◽  
Sample Range ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies

PURPOSE High-grade neuroendocrine cervical cancer (HGNECC) is an uncommon malignancy with limited therapeutic options; treatment is patterned after the histologically similar small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). To better understand HGNECC biology, we report its genomic landscape. PATIENTS AND METHODS Ninety-seven patients with HGNECC underwent comprehensive genomic profiling (182-315 genes). These results were subsequently compared with a cohort of 1,800 SCLCs. RESULTS The median age of patients with HGNECC was 40.5 years; 83 patients (85.6%) harbored high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). Overall, 294 genomic alterations (GAs) were identified (median, 2 GAs/sample; average, 3.0 GAs/sample, range, 0-25 GAs/sample) in 109 distinct genes. The most frequently altered genes were PIK3CA (19.6% of cohort), MYC (15.5%), TP53 (15.5%), and PTEN (14.4%). RB1 GAs occurred in 4% versus 32% of HPV-positive versus HPV-negative tumors ( P < .0001). GAs in HGNECC involved the following pathways: PI3K/AKT/mTOR (41.2%); RAS/MEK (11.3%); homologous recombination (9.3%); and ERBB (7.2%). Two tumors (2.1%) had high tumor mutational burden (TMB; both with MSH2 alterations); 16 (16.5%) had intermediate TMB. Seventy-one patients (73%) had ≥ 1 alteration that was theoretically druggable. Comparing HGNECC with SCLC, significant differences in TMB, microsatellite instability, HPV-positive status, and in PIK3CA, MYC, PTEN, TP53, ARID1A, and RB1 alteration rates were found. CONCLUSION This large cohort of patients with HGNECC demonstrated a genomic landscape distinct from SCLC, calling into question the biologic and therapeutic relevance of the histologic similarities between the entities. Furthermore, 73% of HGNECC tumors had potentially actionable alterations, suggesting novel treatment strategies for this aggressive malignancy.

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