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Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Studying Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics for Developing New Treatment Strategies
Published on: June 20, 2015
Concise Reviews: Cancer Stem Cell Targeted Therapies: Toward Clinical Success
Amar Desai1,2, Yan Yan1,2, Stanton L Gerson1,2
1Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Abstract:
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cells within tumors that possess the stem cell characteristics of self-renewal, quiescence, differentiation, and the ability to recapitulate the parental tumor when transplanted into a host. CSCs are correlated with poor clinical outcome due to their contribution to chemotherapy resistance and metastasis. Multiple cell surface and enzymatic markers have been characterized to identify CSCs within a heterogeneous tumor, and here we summarize ongoing preclinical and clinical efforts to therapeutically target these cells and improve patient outcomes. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:75-81.
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