Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesNarrative ReviewPubMed

Do stem-like cells play a role in drug resistance of sarcomas?

Honoki K.

Narrative Review, published in Expert Rev Anticancer Ther (2010) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

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Level D· Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studiesEvidence level of this study

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

  • Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
  • Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
  • Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
  • Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
  • Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
Read the A–D evidence level guide

This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type
Narrative Review
Journal
Expert Rev Anticancer Ther (2010)
Country
England
Reported sample size
—
Source database
PubMed
PMID
20132001
DOI
10.1586/era.09.184

Abstract (original English)

Stem cells are defined by their unique characteristics, which include their abilities to self-renew and differentiate. Normal somatic stem cells have been isolated from various tissues such as bone marrow, adipose tissue, mammary glands and the nervous system. They are considered naturally resistant to chemotherapeutic agents because they express high levels of membrane transporter molecules, detoxifying enzymes and DNA repair proteins. Several recent studies have identified the presence of side populations in various cancer tissues, the so-called 'cancer stem cells', which are defined as the counterparts of stem cells in tumor tissues. These cancer stem cells possess stem-like properties, such as self-renewal and differentiation abilities, as well as playing a role in tumor initiation. Most sarcomas, which are thought to originate from mesenchymal stem cells, are highly malignant and approximately 30-40% of them show local and/or distant relapse (metastasis), even in the case of relatively chemosensitive tumors such as osteosarcomas and Ewing sarcomas. Several studies have suggested the presence of stem-like cell populations in sarcomas, based on their tumorigenicity and drug resistance. This review explores the issues of drug resistance of cancer stem cells in sarcomas and the possibilities of targeting cancer stem cells for the future treatment of sarcomas.

What this study does not prove

  • • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
  • • This is a narrative review: it collects no new patient data and does not systematically appraise evidence quality.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

How we grade evidence
Antineoplastic AgentsDrug Resistance, NeoplasmHumansNeoplastic Stem CellsSarcoma

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