Therapy-induced enrichment of putative lung cancer stem-like cells

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Daniela P Freitas (Author) Other; Cristina A Teixeira (Author) Other; Filipe Santos Silva (Author) Other; Helena Vasconcelos, MH (Author) FFUP; Gabriela M Almeida (Author) Other

Journal

Title: International Journal of Cancer

Vol. 134

Pages: 1270-1278

ISSN: 0020-7136

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 48 Citations

Scopus - 50 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Clinical medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-008-QEZ

DOI: 10.1002/ijc.28478

Abstract (EN): Tumour drug resistance is a major issue in the management of lung cancer patients as almost all lung tumours are either intrinsically resistant or quickly develop acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Cancer drug resistance has recently been linked, at least in part, to the existence of cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs), a small sub-population of cells within the tumour that possess stem-like properties. CSLCs are often isolated by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) according to the expression of certain stem-like cell membrane markers. Conflicting results regarding the specificity of particular stem cell surface markers for isolating CSLCs have, however, been recently reported. Therefore, alternative strategies enabling the identification and study of CSLCs should be considered, particularly in tumour types where appropriate stem cell markers are not well established and validated, like in lung cancer. In this article, we review data indicating therapy-selection as a valid approach for putative lung CSLCs enrichment. We believe that this strategy would be determinant for correctly assessing and characterising the sub-populations of CSLCs that are able to survive chemo or radiotherapy regimens and, at the same time, also have the ability to recapitulate and sustain tumour growth. Using therapy-induced enrichment of CSLCs may, therefore, prove to be an extremely useful method for studying CSLCs and provide new clues regarding potential therapeutic targets for their efficient elimination, which will undoubtedly play a decisive role in improving lung cancer patients' survival.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9