[Stem cells in cancer]

The adult body contains undifferentiated stem cells of various tissues which, when necessary, will divide and produce new differentiated cells to replace dying cells, for example. Malignant tumors contain also less common populations of cancerous cells having a higher capacity than other cancerous cells to produce progeny. Cell structure molecules and regulatory mechanisms similar to those observed on normal stem cells have been detected on these cancer stem cells. Production and self-regeneration of stem cell progeny are subjects, the regulation of which is hoped to reveal mechanisms providing a target for intervention to enable the control of the growth of cancer cells and healthy auxiliary tissue of the tumor.