Searching For the Marks of Stemness

If scientists can identify markers for the errant stem cells that create and sustain cancer, then modern biotechnology can build a targeted therapy to destroy those cells. Hence the search for stemness in cancer, and the modest advance noted at Newswise: researchers "took tumor samples from patients undergoing surgery for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, including cancers of the tongue, larynx, throat and sinus. Cells from the samples were separated based on whether they expressed a marker on their surface called CD44. ... The cells that expressed CD44 were able to grow new tumors, while the cells that did not express CD44 did not grow new tumors. ... This ability to both self-renew and produce different types of cells is a hallmark of stem cells. ... The percent of cells within a tumor expressing CD44 varied from one sample to the next, with one sample composed of as high as 40 percent of these cells. Studies in other cancer types have found the stem cell population to be smaller than 5 percent. ... The CD44-positive cells contain the tumorigenic cells, but we don't think that's a pure population of cancer stem cells. We still need to drill down further to find the subpopulation of those cells that is the pure version."

Link: http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/526585/

Comment Submission

Post a comment; thoughtful, considered opinions are valued. New comments can be edited for a few minutes following submission. Comments incorporating ad hominem attacks, advertising, and other forms of inappropriate behavior are likely to be deleted.

Note that there is a comment feed for those who like to keep up with conversations.