Stem cells in colon cancer. A new era in cancer theory begins

Abstract

This review focuses on colon cancer stem cell theory, the various findings supporting and contradicting this hypothesis, and the markers used up to now in characterizing stem cell populations in colorectal cancer. Despite the numerous unanswered questions on this new cancer hypothesis, it appears to have a justifiable role to play in colorectal cancer tumor biology, and furthermore, it may be the basis for the development of new therapeutic agents of the future. Therefore, every surgeon, oncologist, and physician who is implicated with this disease should be familiar with this novel colorectal cancer theory.

Cancer Stem Cells: Novel Target Using Dietary Components for Prevention and Treatment

“…Furthermore, these results were reproducibly maintained upon serial transplantation, whereas CD133 − were able to do so even after serial transplantation (Cohen 2003). Nevertheless, CD133 + has limitations as a CSC marker, since it appears not to predict tumor initiation potential in stage A tumors (Papailiou et al 2011;Hermann et al 2007). …”

“…CD133 is a 5-transmembrane glycoprotein of 865 amino acids that is expressed on the apical plasma membrane protrusions of embryonical epithelial structures surface (Corbeil et al 2000;Papailiou et al 2011). Initially, the role of organizer of the plasma membrane topology was credited to CD133 due to its location (Corbeil et al 2001), but, to date, its function remains unclear (Haraguchi et al 2006).…”

“…Initially, the role of organizer of the plasma membrane topology was credited to CD133 due to its location (Corbeil et al 2001), but, to date, its function remains unclear (Haraguchi et al 2006). Brain (Singh et al 2004a), gut (Papailiou et al 2011), and pancreatic (Hermann et al 2007) tumor CSCs have been isolated with the help of CD133 antibodies, but it has also been confined to multiple differentiated cells like acinar and islet cells in the pancreas, and goblet and columnar epithelial cells lining the colon (Zhu et al 2009). CD133 is known to be present at various locations both in the cell membrane and the cytoplasm, indicating its various functions.…”

Prognostic Value of Immunohistochemical Expressions of the Stem Cell Biomarker "LGR5" and the Proliferation Biomarker "TPX2" in Colorectal Carcinoma

“…Two theories of CRC carcinogenesis have been stated; a stochastic model, where any cell has the ability of cancer initiation, promotion and progression and a cancer stem cell (CSC) model, that only produced by transformed CSCs having the ability to self-renewal, abnormally differentiate and form a cancer [4] . Although, CSCs have been incriminated in colon carcinogenesis for several years, the complexity of their detection and isolation is still not precisely clarified [5] . CSCs are resistant to chemotherapeutic agents and responsible for recurrence and spread of CRC.…”

CD133/CD166/Ki-67 Triple Immunouorescence Assessment for Putative Cancer Stem Cells in Colon Carcinoma*

“…The strategies for colon CSCs identi cation and isolation are still a matter of debate [10][11][12]. During the last decade, several molecules have been proposed as colon CSC surface markers including CD133 and CD166 [12][13][14].…”