Tumour heterogeneity and cancer cell plasticity

CE Meacham, SJ Morrison - Nature, 2013 - nature.com
CE Meacham, SJ Morrison
Nature, 2013nature.com
Phenotypic and functional heterogeneity arise among cancer cells within the same tumour
as a consequence of genetic change, environmental differences and reversible changes in
cell properties. Some cancers also contain a hierarchy in which tumorigenic cancer stem
cells differentiate into non-tumorigenic progeny. However, it remains unclear what fraction of
cancers follow the stem-cell model and what clinical behaviours the model explains. Studies
using lineage tracing and deep sequencing could have implications for the cancer stem-cell …
Abstract
Phenotypic and functional heterogeneity arise among cancer cells within the same tumour as a consequence of genetic change, environmental differences and reversible changes in cell properties. Some cancers also contain a hierarchy in which tumorigenic cancer stem cells differentiate into non-tumorigenic progeny. However, it remains unclear what fraction of cancers follow the stem-cell model and what clinical behaviours the model explains. Studies using lineage tracing and deep sequencing could have implications for the cancer stem-cell model and may help to determine the extent to which it accounts for therapy resistance and disease progression.
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