METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR TREATING CARCINOMA STEM CELLS

摘要

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been prospectively isolated or identified from primary tumor samples, and shown to possess the unique properties of self-renewal and differentiation, and can form unique histological microdomains useful in cancer diagnosis. Such cancer stem cells are shown herein to have the phenotype of containing decreased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) relative to non-tumorigenic (non-stem cell) cancer cells, as well as expression of other protective pathways. The CSCs are further shown to be more resistant to ionizing radiation (IR) and certain chemotherapies and to express high levels of ROS genes.