The answer to that question lies in the ability of cancer stem cells to self-renew and differentiate. The expression of these two hallmarks of cancer stem cells can be used to identify different types of cancer. Here are some examples. Read on to find out more about this important cancer stem cell marker. Read on to find out if cancer stem cells are a possibility in your tumor.
Although the traditional method of identifying cancer stem cells has not been entirely successful, there have been recent advances in the understanding of cancer stem cells. For example, scientists have begun to investigate how melanoma cells function in the presence of immune cells. This knowledge is essential in the development of anticancer therapies. The NK cells of a patient’s blood can help identify cancer stem cells in a tumor. However, they can be destroyed by chemotherapy.
While tumors have a high proportion of cancer stem cells, it is unclear how much each type of cancer stem cell contributes to the virulence of a tumor. This is because a single non-stem cell can generate a tumor without the presence of stem cells. Furthermore, a single non-stem cancer cell has a short life span. To form a one-cm tumor, it must divide at least once daily in the subcutis.
One model for cancer stem cells suggests that the capacity to self-renew is critical to tumor initiation. Although the stochastic model states that every cell within a tumor can become a tumor, the cancer stem cell model suggests that only a subset of tumor cells are tumorigenic. And because cancer stem cells have this capacity, they can also be used as cancer treatment agents. That may be the key to reversing the progression of cancer.
During the development of new therapies, it has become clear that CSCs are the key to fighting cancer. These cells have two distinct properties that distinguish them from normal adult bone marrow cells: self-renewal capacity and unlimited differentiation into a broad spectrum of cancer cells. As such, they may represent novel therapeutic targets. They also appear to play a role in cell migration and invasion. And this makes them a promising candidate for treatment.
The CSC population of cancer tumors is believed to be the source of the aggressive phenotype of the disease. CSCs grow uncontrolled and metastatically and are drug-resistant and resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Acceptance of this concept requires a fundamental change in the way cancer is treated. Treatments should be tailored specifically for these cells, and the search for therapeutic target markers must be undertaken. The discovery of a CSC-specific therapeutic target marker is an important step toward this goal.
Interestingly, the concept of CSCs does not apply to all cancers. Among other things, the TF expression in metastases is associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, metastases contain a higher percentage of TF-positive cancer cells than do primary tumors. In the bone marrow, disseminated breast cancer cells are almost always positive for TF. And primary tumor sections are often characterized by a mosaic of TF-positive and -negative cells.
