A remarkable paradigm shift has occurred in recent years regarding the biological origins of cancer. The cancer stem cell hypothesis has challenged the foundational notions of cancer, and the therapeutic implications have been profound. Compelling evidence indicates that errors in the development of a small subset of adult stem cells can lead to cancer.
Only this small subpopulation of cells has the inherent ability to form tumors and metastasize. This book discusses the emerging field of cancer stem cell research, with contributions from leading experts on the basic biology, genetic pathways, and potentials for therapeutic targeting of cancer stem cells. It also covers clinical challenges for these new discoveries, namely, that cancer stem cells might be resistant to conventional chemotherapeutic and radiological treatments and may be at the biological core of relapse and therapeutic resistance. This book is an essential concise guide to the latest discoveries and therapies in cancer research. William L. Farrar, PhD, is head of the Cancer Stem Cell Section at the Laboratory of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland.
SECTION I: CHARACTERIZATION OF CANCER STEM CELLS
- 1. Purification and characterization of cancer stem cells 1
- 2. Prostate cancer stem cells 15
- 3. Melanoma cancer stem cells 31
- 4. Mammospheres and breast carcinoma 49
SECTION II: THERAPEUTIC IMPLICATIONS OF CANCER STEM CELLS
- 5. Preventative and therapeutic strategies for cancer stem cells 68
- 6. Targeting acute myelogenous leukemia stem cells 93
SECTION III: TARGETING CANCER STEM CELL PATHWAYS
- 7. Hedgehog / GLI signaling in cancer 109
- 8. Targeting the Notch signaling pathway in cancer stem cells 128
- 9. TGF-β, Notch, and Wnt in normal and malignant stem cells: differentiating agents and epigenetic modulation 139
Product Details
- Hardcover: 192 pages
- Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (August 24, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0521896282
- ISBN-13: 978-0521896283
- Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.6 inches
List Price: $98.00