Suppression of cancer stem cells

Abstract

Current evidence confirms that tumor initiation and recurrence is generally governed by a subpopulation of tumor cells with stem-like signatures: cancer stem cells (CSCs). This population needs to be considered a pivotal target for tumor treatment, since it combines drug resistance and the capacity to restore tumors even from a few cells. Several drugs and biopharmaceuticals are being tested for their capacity to suppress CSCs based on their capacity to interfere with key-signaling pathways required to maintain this privileged and aggressive phenotype. However, these molecules have often poor biopharmaceutical properties, significant side effects, difficulties to reach their target site, and short half-lives. These limitations have motivated the integration of these therapeutic molecules in advanced drug delivery systems for improved stability, intratumoral penetration, and efficacy. We envisage that such delivery technologies will have important roles in new promising strategies based on combined drug therapies for disrupting the CSC niche and achieving cancer remission.