Tag: Cancer stem cells

Posted on

The role of cancer stem cells in glioblastoma

The role of cancer stem cells in glioblastoma

Neurosurg Focus 37 (6):E6, 2014

Recurrence in glioblastoma is nearly universal, and its prognosis remains dismal despite significant advances in treatment over the past decade. Glioblastoma demonstrates considerable intratumoral phenotypic and molecular heterogeneity and contains a population of cancer stem cells that contributes to tumor propagation, maintenance, and treatment resistance. Cancer stem cells are functionally defined by their ability to self-renew and to differentiate, and they constitute the diverse hierarchy of cells composing a tumor. When xenografted into an appropriate host, they are capable of tumorigenesis.

Given the critical role of cancer stem cells in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma, research into their molecular and phenotypic characteristics is a therapeutic priority.

In this review, the authors discuss the evolution of the cancer stem cell model of tumorigenesis and describe the specific role of cancer stem cells in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma and their molecular and microenvironmental characteristics. They also discuss recent clinical investigations into targeted therapies against cancer stem cells in the treatment of glioblastoma.

Posted on

A review of the role of stem cells in the development and treatment of glioma

Acta Neurochir (2012) 154:951–969. DOI 10.1007/s00701-012-1338-9

The neurosurgical management of patients with intrinsic glial cancers is one of the most rapidly evolving areas of practice. This has been fuelled by advances in surgical technique not only in cytoreduction but also in drug delivery. Further innovation will depend on a deeper understanding of the biology of the disease and an appreciation of the limitations of current knowledge.

Here we review the controversial topic of cancer stem cells applied to glioma to provide neurosurgeons with a working overview. It is now recognised that the adult human brain contains regionally specified cell populations capable of self-renewal that may contribute to tumour growth and maintenance following accumulated mutational change. Tumour cells adapted to maintain growth demonstrate some stem-like characteristics and as such constitute a legitimate therapeutic target. Cellular reprogramming technologies raise the potential of developing stem cells as novel surgical tools to target disease and possibly ameliorate some of the consequences of treatment. Achieving these goals remains a significant challenge to neurosurgical oncologists, not least in challenging how we think about treating brain cancer.

This review will briefly examine our understanding of adult stem cells within the brain, the evidence that they contribute to the development of brain tumours as tumour-initiating cells, and the potential implications for therapy. It will also look at the role stem cells may play in the future management of glioma.

Proudly powered by WordPress