The potential of stem cells in breast cancer therapy: A review
Liu Z., Wang D.
Narrative Review, published in Medicine (Baltimore) (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.
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
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
- Medicine (Baltimore) (2026)
- Reported sample size
- —
- Source database
- Europe PMC
- PMID
- 42152341
- PMCID
- PMC13183034
- DOI
- 10.1097/md.0000000000048829
Abstract (original English)
Breast cancer remains the most prevalent malignancy among women worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies. Stem cell-based anticancer approaches have attracted substantial attention because of their ability to generate immune-related cells and selectively home to tumor sites, among which mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered particularly promising owing to their strong tumor-tropic capacity and low immunogenicity. In this review, current evidence on the biological functions and therapeutic potential of MSCs and MSC-derived exosomes in breast cancer was systematically compiled and analyzed, with particular emphasis on MSC-mediated cytokine signaling, modulation of the tumor microenvironment, and the molecular cargo and functional effects of MSC-derived exosomes. The available data indicate that MSCs exert context-dependent dual effects, either promoting or inhibiting tumor growth through secretion of cytokines and activation of intercellular signaling pathways, while exosomes derived from MSCs likewise display both antitumor and protumor activities yet retain intrinsic tumor-targeting capability. Notably, compared with live MSCs, exosomes demonstrate greater stability, reduced immunogenic risk, and enhanced feasibility as therapeutic delivery vehicles, highlighting their translational potential. Accumulating evidence suggests that immun
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 evidenceBrowse all related research
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