The Role of Cancer Stem Cell Markers in Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological cancer and the eighth most common female cancer. The early diagnosis of ovarian cancer remains a clinical problem despite the significant development of technology. Nearly 70% of patients with ovarian cancer are diagnosed with stages III–IV metastatic disease. Reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers are currently lacking. Ovarian cancer recurrence and resistance to chemotherapy pose vital problems and translate into poor outcomes. Cancer stem cells appear to be responsible for tumour recurrence resulting from chemotherapeutic resistance. These cells are also crucial for tumour initiation due to the ability to self-renew, differentiate, avoid immune destruction, and promote inflammation and angiogenesis. Studies have confirmed an association between CSC occurrence and resistance to chemotherapy, subsequent metastases, and cancer relapses. Therefore, the elimination of CSCs appears important for overcoming drug resistance and improving prognoses. This review focuses on the expression of selected ovarian CSC markers, including CD133, CD44, CD24, CD117, and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1, which show potential prognostic significance. Some markers expressed on the surface of CSCs correlate with clinical features and can be used for the diagnosis and prognosis of ovarian cancer. However, due to the heterogeneity and plasticity of CSCs, the determination of specific CSC phenotypes is difficult.

CYP26A1 Links WNT and Retinoic Acid Signaling: A Target to Differentiate ALDH+ Stem Cells in APC-Mutant CRC

“…While using retinoids to treat other cancers has shown limited success [16,17], therapeutically inhibiting CYP26A1, as we have shown herein, to reduce RA metabolism may prove useful in designing approaches to promote the differentiation of CSCs with retinoids. Therefore, our findings are important because CRC development is driven by the overpopulation of CSCs, which are cell populations that show resistance to immunotherapy as well as conventional chemotherapy and radiation [47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58]. Thus, finding ways to promote retinoid-induced differentiation of CSCs in vivo may lead to new and more effective therapeutic strategies for CRC patients.…”

From mechanism to therapy: the journey of CD24 in cancer

“…Consequently, the therapeutic targeting of CSCs has emerged as a promising strategy for the intervention and prevention of tumor progression (239)(240)(241)(242)(243)(244)(245). Currently, several potential stem cell markers are predominantly utilized for the detection and separation of CSCs from various solid tumors (239,(246)(247)(248)(249). Among these, CD24 has been identified as a potential marker for CSCs (250).…”