Cancers, Vol. 12, Pages 2482: Counteracting Chemoresistance with Metformin in Breast Cancers: Targeting Cancer Stem Cells

Cancers, Vol. 12, Pages 2482: Counteracting Chemoresistance with Metformin in Breast Cancers: Targeting Cancer Stem Cells Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers12092482 Authors: Samuel Varghese Koklesová Líšková Kubatka Büsselberg Despite the leaps and bounds in achieving success in the management and treatment of breast cancers through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, breast cancer remains the most frequently occurring cancer in women and the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Systemic therapeutic approaches, such as chemotherapy, although beneficial in treating and curing breast cancer subjects with localized breast tumors, tend to fail in metastatic cases of the disease due to (a) an acquired resistance to the chemotherapeutic drug and (b) the development of intrinsic resistance to therapy. The existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) plays a crucial role in both acquired and intrinsic chemoresistance. CSCs are less abundant than terminally differentiated cancer cells and confer chemoresistance through a unique altered metabolism and capability to evade the immune response system. Furthermore, CSCs possess active DNA repair systems, transporters that support multidrug resistance (MDR), advanced detoxification processes, and the ability to self-renew and differentiate into tumor progenitor cells, thereby supporting cancer invasion, metastasis, and recurrence/relapse. Hence, current research is focusing on targeting CSCs to overco...
Source: Cancers - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research