Cancer stem cells: Potential mediators of therapeutic resistance and novel targets of anti-cancer treatments

Abstract

Over the last decade, anti-cancer therapies (chemotherapy and radiation, hormonal, neoadjuvant, and combinatorial therapies) have prolonged the lives of cancer patients. However, present cancer therapies fail in a high percentage of cases due to an incomplete elimination of the tumor cells, resulting in relapse and metastasis of the tumor. The vast majority of cancer-related deaths are due to metastatic tumor growth that impairs the function of vital organ(s). Thus, cancer relapse and metastasis are the major challenges in fighting cancer. © 2009 Springer-Verlag New York.