cancer stem cells as a predictive factor in radiotherapy

cancer stem cells as a predictive factor in radiotherapy

 

Thomas B. Brunner, MD,* Leoni A. Kunz-Schughart, PhD,† Philipp Grosse-Gehling,† and
Michael Baumann, MD, PhD†,‡

Cancer stem cell research is one of the most thriving and competitive areas in oncology research because it has the potential to dramatically affect clinical outcomes. Led by progress in hematology, cancer stem cell research has now provided evidence to play an important role for solid cancers as well. Because radiotherapy is only second to surgery in
terms of its curative potency, it is very important for radiation oncologists to learn whether progress in cancer stem cell biology can enable them to exploit this knowledge to help cure more patients suffering from cancer. The present article gives an overview about the challenges of the cancer stem cell concept and highlights some important phenomena that are under intense investigation, such as phenotypic plasticity of stemness and impact and dynamics of microenvironmental niches. We discuss the potential and limitations of current
experimental and theragnostic tools and end up with an agenda for future research as
outlook for translational possibilities in the clinic.
Semin Radiat Oncol 22:151-174 © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

 

현재 암줄기세포가 암 연구 및 치료 분야에서 하나의 중요 이슈로 떠오르고 있다.  방사선 치료 완료 후 상당한 시간(10년 이상)이 지난 뒤 breast, prostate cancer의 재발되는 임상적 관측이 나타나고 있다. 방사선화학치료 후 더 자주, 빠르게 재발되는 암들도 있다.

방사선 암 치료자와 생물학자들이 CSC의 임상적 존재에 대해 암학자들보다 빠르게 인정했던 2가지 이유가 있다. 첫째, 항암방사선 치료는 항암치료 보다 완전한 지역적 반응을 이룰 수 있었고 둘째, 임시적이면서 보조적인 항암치료에 비해 방사선치료는 집중적인 치료에 사용된다. 

결과적으로 폐, 직장, 췌장으로의 전이를 유도하는 CSC의 타켓팅은 결과적으로 조직의 방사선 치료의 역할을 강화해줄 것이다. 이 논문에서는 최근 CSC 연구 발전과 방사선 암 치료의 영향 및 치료적 효과 등을 제시하고 있다.

 

 

Examples of solid tumor types for which cnacer stem cells and CSC marker

 

 

Experimental tollbox to identify, isolate and characterize CSC

 

 

CD44 and other functional CSC surrogate markers

 

 

CSC and Microenvironment