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Related Concept Videos

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance02:40

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance

Early diagnosis and treatment can often cure cancer. However, even with treatment, residual cells called cancer stem cells (CSC) might remain, often causing tumor recurrence. These cancer stem cells possess the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and are often responsible for the therapeutic resistance displayed in most cancers.
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance02:40

Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Maintenance

Early diagnosis and treatment can often cure cancer. However, even with treatment, residual cells called cancer stem cells (CSC) might remain, often causing tumor recurrence. These cancer stem cells possess the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and are often responsible for the therapeutic resistance displayed in most cancers.
Cancer stem cells are thought to originate from tissue-specific normal stem cells or progenitor cells. The normal stem cells usually reside in...
Distinctive Features of Adult Stem Cells vs Cancer Stem Cells01:18

Distinctive Features of Adult Stem Cells vs Cancer Stem Cells

A stem cell is an unspecialized cell that can divide without limit as needed and can, under specific conditions, differentiate into specialized cells.
Adult stem cells
Adult stem cells are tissue-specific; hence, they divide to develop the tissue from which they originate. One type of adult stem cell is the epithelial stem cell, which gives rise to the keratinocytes in the multiple layers of epithelial cells in the epidermis of the skin. Adult bone marrow has three distinct types of stem cells:...
Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Regeneration01:21

Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Regeneration

Stem cell therapy is a method used in regenerative medicine to repair and restore function to damaged tissues and organs. Stem cells have the potential to proliferate and differentiate into various tissue types, making them ideal candidates for tissue regeneration. For example, hematopoietic stem cell transplants are commonly used in blood cancer treatment to replenish damaged bone marrow and restore healthy blood cells.
Types of Stem Cells used in Stem Cell Therapy
The two main cell types that...
What is Cancer?02:12

What is Cancer?

Cells and tissues must meticulously coordinate their activities for the normal functioning of the human body. Therefore, they exhibit socially responsible behavior - resting, growing, dividing, differentiating, or dying - for the organism’s benefit. Cancer arises when cells divide uncontrollably and invade other tissues or organs.
Although people have known about cancer for centuries, it was only in 1761 that Giovanni Morgagni of Padua performed a detailed autopsy of patients who died from...
What is Cancer?02:12

What is Cancer?

Cells and tissues must meticulously coordinate their activities for the normal functioning of the human body. Therefore, they exhibit socially responsible behavior - resting, growing, dividing, differentiating, or dying - for the organism’s benefit. Cancer arises when cells divide uncontrollably and invade other tissues or organs.
Although people have known about cancer for centuries, it was only in 1761 that Giovanni Morgagni of Padua performed a detailed autopsy of patients who died from...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Isolation and Characterization of a Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Subpopulation Having Stem Cell Characteristics
11:28

Isolation and Characterization of a Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Subpopulation Having Stem Cell Characteristics

Published on: May 11, 2016

Cancer: a "stem-cell" disease?

Shi-Ming Tu1

  • 1Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Unit 1374, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030-3721, USA. stu@mdanderson.org.

Cancer Cell International
|May 8, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cancer may originate from stem cells, not just genetic mutations. This stem-cell disease model challenges traditional oncology and impacts personalized cancer care strategies.

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Last Updated: May 11, 2026

Isolation and Characterization of a Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Subpopulation Having Stem Cell Characteristics
11:28

Isolation and Characterization of a Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Subpopulation Having Stem Cell Characteristics

Published on: May 11, 2016

Establishment of Cancer Stem Cell Cultures from Human Conventional Osteosarcoma
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Published on: October 14, 2016

Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies
07:29

Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies

Published on: June 20, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Stem Cell Biology
  • Cancer Genetics

Background:

  • Current cancer research focuses on genetic and epigenetic alterations.
  • Cancer cells exhibit 'stem-ness' properties, suggesting a stem-cell origin.
  • This prevalence implies cancer may be fundamentally a stem-cell disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interchangeability of stem-ness properties and malignant hallmarks.
  • To test the hypothesis that cancer is a stem-cell disease, not solely a genetic disease.
  • To explore the potential for malignancy in stem cells and stem-cell characteristics in malignant cells.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing homeobox genes to induce stem-ness properties in progenitor cells.
  • Correlating homeobox gene expression timing and genetic defects (e.g., Pten loss) with tumor virulence.
  • Analyzing the relationship between clinical outcomes and genetic mutation burden in cancer subtypes.

Main Results:

  • Earlier homeobox gene expression with genetic defects leads to more virulent tumors.
  • Later homeobox gene expression with genetic defects results in more indolent phenotypes.
  • Worse clinical outcomes in some cancers paradoxically correlate with fewer genetic mutations.

Conclusions:

  • Reclassifying cancer as a stem-cell disease necessitates a paradigm shift in oncology.
  • Fundamental principles like multistep carcinogenesis require reevaluation.
  • This understanding has significant clinical implications for personalized cancer treatment and clinical trial design.