HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Breast Cancer Stem Cells: A New Target for Therapy

Barbara2 · 01-22-2011, 10:08 PM

ABSTRACT: Normal adult tissue stem cells awake from a dormant state to grow, differentiate, and regenerate damaged tissue. They also travel in the circulation and colonize distant organs at sites undergoing tissue repair. These same traits are utilized or co-opted by metastatic cancer cells. The cancer stem cell theory proposes that tumors emerge from a subpopulation of cancer cells that possess stem cell properties. This theory has profound implications for therapy. A small number of cancer stem cells may lie dormant following conventional therapy and tumor remission, only to re-emerge and regenerate the entire recurrent cancer. Consequently, it has been proposed that targeting cancer stem cells is the only way to obtain durable cancer treatment responses. Several strategies for targeting cancer stem cells have been proposed. Nevertheless, a number of issues must be investigated and resolved before effective treatments targeting cancer stem cells can enter clinical testing.

Whole article:
http://www.cancernetwork.com/breast-.../10165/1779588

01-22-2011, 10:08 PM	#1
Barbara2 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: South Dakota. Posts: 621	Breast Cancer Stem Cells: A New Target for Therapy ABSTRACT: Normal adult tissue stem cells awake from a dormant state to grow, differentiate, and regenerate damaged tissue. They also travel in the circulation and colonize distant organs at sites undergoing tissue repair. These same traits are utilized or co-opted by metastatic cancer cells. The cancer stem cell theory proposes that tumors emerge from a subpopulation of cancer cells that possess stem cell properties. This theory has profound implications for therapy. A small number of cancer stem cells may lie dormant following conventional therapy and tumor remission, only to re-emerge and regenerate the entire recurrent cancer. Consequently, it has been proposed that targeting cancer stem cells is the only way to obtain durable cancer treatment responses. Several strategies for targeting cancer stem cells have been proposed. Nevertheless, a number of issues must be investigated and resolved before effective treatments targeting cancer stem cells can enter clinical testing. Whole article: http://www.cancernetwork.com/breast-.../10165/1779588 __________________ Blessings and Peace, Barbara DX Oct 02 @ age 52 Stage 2B Grade 3 Mastectomy "at least" 4.5 cm IDC 1+node ER+61% /PR- Assiciated Intraductual component with Comedo Necrosis Her2+ FISH8.6 IHC 2+ 5 1/2 CEF Arimidex Celebrex 400mg daily for 13 months Prophylactic mastectomy Estradiol #: 13 PTEN positive, "late" Herceptin (26 months after chemo) Oct 05: Actonel for osteopenia from Arimidex. May 08: Replaced Actonel with Zometa . Taking every 6 months. Accepting the gift of life, I give thanks for it and live it in fullness.