Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Stem Cells

The last decade witnessed an explosion of interest in cancer stem cells (CSCs). The realization of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) as a CSC-related disease has the potential to change approaches in the treatment of this devastating disease dramatically. The etiology and early events in the progressi...

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Main Authors: Irena Conic, Irena Dimov, Desanka Tasic-Dimov, Biljana Djordjevic, Vladisav Stefanovic
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2011.112
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author Irena Conic
Irena Dimov
Desanka Tasic-Dimov
Biljana Djordjevic
Vladisav Stefanovic
author_facet Irena Conic
Irena Dimov
Desanka Tasic-Dimov
Biljana Djordjevic
Vladisav Stefanovic
author_sort Irena Conic
collection DOAJ
description The last decade witnessed an explosion of interest in cancer stem cells (CSCs). The realization of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) as a CSC-related disease has the potential to change approaches in the treatment of this devastating disease dramatically. The etiology and early events in the progression of these carcinomas are among the least understood of all major human malignancies. Compared to the CSCs of other cancer types, the identification and study of EOC stem cells (EOCSCs) is rather difficult due to several major obstacles: the heterogeneity of tumors comprising EOCs, unknown cells of origin, and lack of knowledge considering the normal ovarian stem cells. This poses a major challenge for urgent development in this research field. This review summarizes and evaluates the current evidence for the existence of candidate normal ovarian epithelial stem cells as well as EOCSCs, emphasizing the requirement for a more definitive laboratory approach for the isolation, identification, and enrichment of EOCSCs. The present review also revisits the ongoing debate regarding other cells and tissues of origin of EOCs, and discusses early events in the pathogenesis of this disease. Finally, this review discusses the signaling pathways that are important regulators of candidate EOCSC maintenance and function, their potential role in the distinct pathogenesis of different EOC subtypes, as well as potential mechanisms and clinical relevance of EOCSC involvement in drug resistance.
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spelling doaj-art-5387c7a491854acba79404f89e40d36f2025-02-03T06:01:54ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2011-01-01111243126910.1100/tsw.2011.112Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Stem CellsIrena Conic0Irena Dimov1Desanka Tasic-Dimov2Biljana Djordjevic3Vladisav Stefanovic4University School of Medicine, Nis, SerbiaUniversity School of Medicine, Nis, SerbiaUniversity School of Medicine, Nis, SerbiaUniversity School of Medicine, Nis, SerbiaUniversity School of Medicine, Nis, SerbiaThe last decade witnessed an explosion of interest in cancer stem cells (CSCs). The realization of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) as a CSC-related disease has the potential to change approaches in the treatment of this devastating disease dramatically. The etiology and early events in the progression of these carcinomas are among the least understood of all major human malignancies. Compared to the CSCs of other cancer types, the identification and study of EOC stem cells (EOCSCs) is rather difficult due to several major obstacles: the heterogeneity of tumors comprising EOCs, unknown cells of origin, and lack of knowledge considering the normal ovarian stem cells. This poses a major challenge for urgent development in this research field. This review summarizes and evaluates the current evidence for the existence of candidate normal ovarian epithelial stem cells as well as EOCSCs, emphasizing the requirement for a more definitive laboratory approach for the isolation, identification, and enrichment of EOCSCs. The present review also revisits the ongoing debate regarding other cells and tissues of origin of EOCs, and discusses early events in the pathogenesis of this disease. Finally, this review discusses the signaling pathways that are important regulators of candidate EOCSC maintenance and function, their potential role in the distinct pathogenesis of different EOC subtypes, as well as potential mechanisms and clinical relevance of EOCSC involvement in drug resistance.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2011.112
spellingShingle Irena Conic
Irena Dimov
Desanka Tasic-Dimov
Biljana Djordjevic
Vladisav Stefanovic
Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Stem Cells
The Scientific World Journal
title Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Stem Cells
title_full Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Stem Cells
title_fullStr Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Stem Cells
title_full_unstemmed Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Stem Cells
title_short Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Stem Cells
title_sort ovarian epithelial cancer stem cells
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2011.112
work_keys_str_mv AT irenaconic ovarianepithelialcancerstemcells
AT irenadimov ovarianepithelialcancerstemcells
AT desankatasicdimov ovarianepithelialcancerstemcells
AT biljanadjordjevic ovarianepithelialcancerstemcells
AT vladisavstefanovic ovarianepithelialcancerstemcells