Targeting cancer stem cells: A Review

Abstract

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subset of tumor cells that may self-renew and create various tumor cells. They cause local tumor recurrence and distant metastasis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are subpopulations of tumor cells that can self-renew, differentiate, and initiate tumor growth. They are thought to be the primary cause of intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity. Conventional chemotherapy can kill non-CSC tumor cells, but CSCs are generally resistant, resulting in tumor recurrence and metastasis. Developing CSC-targeting therapy is challenging due to their heterogeneity. To address this, researchers have developed novel therapeutic techniques that mix chemotherapy with pathway inhibitors. Preclinical research indicates that blocking the CSC pathway can improve cellular sensitivity to non-targeted conventional therapy. This has prompted current clinical trials of CSC pathway inhibitors. Our investigations in bladder cancer and lung adenocarcinoma show that YAP1, a transcriptional regulator of genes involved in cell survival and proliferation, plays a vital role in regulating CSC characteristics. Inhibiting YAP1 improves conventional therapies by reducing CSC stemness, as seen in cell lines and patient-derived xenograft models. In this review, we summarize the therapeutic strategies for targeting CSCs in several cancers and discuss the potential and challenges of the approach.