Conclusion

Abstract

Since their discovery a decade ago, breast CSCs, have been the focus of both basic and translational research. Breast CSCs have become targets in diagnosis as well as treatment in breast cancer, and are considered to be responsible not only for tumor initiation, development, and metastasis, but also for therapeutic resistance. Standard oncologic treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can only shrink tumors by killing active tumor cells, but miss quiescent CSCs that lead to resistance and relapse, and may even enrich more resistant CSC populations (Ajani, Izzo, & Lee, 2009). In fact, current systemic cancer therapies frequently fail to eliminate advanced tumors, which may be due to their inability to effectively target CSC population (Boman & Wicha, 2008). Therefore, new therapies that target CSCs are necessary for improving patient survival rates. This book presents properties of breast CSCs along with some strategies for breast cancer therapy, which can directly eliminate or differentiate CSCs.