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Cancer Stem Cells in Radiation Oncology

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Radiation Oncology

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Abstract

Cancer stem cells, also known as tumor-initiating cells, are a subset of cells within a tumor which are believed to be the origin of the tumor, recurrences, and metastasis. Cancer stem cells are capable of both symmetric and asymmetric division, giving rise to all the cell types found within a cancerous tumor. Importantly from a radiation oncology point of view, cancer stem cells are thought to be more resistant to treatment (both radiotherapy and chemotherapy) than the other cells within a tumor, while they also display an increased migration capability. Thus, after treatment cancer stem cells are believed to be responsible for tumor recurrence and tumor metastasis. In this chapter, the history of cancer stem cells is briefly discussed. Furthermore, potential means to enhance the radiosensitivity of cancer stem cells and models to study cancer stem cells are covered.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, section Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Peter W. Nagle & Robert P. Coppes

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Peter W. Nagle & Robert P. Coppes

  3. Department of Surgical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Peter W. Nagle

Authors
  1. Peter W. Nagle
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  2. Robert P. Coppes
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Correspondence to Robert P. Coppes .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany

    Frederik Wenz

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Nagle, P.W., Coppes, R.P. (2019). Cancer Stem Cells in Radiation Oncology. In: Wenz, F. (eds) Radiation Oncology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52619-5_104-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52619-5_104-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-52619-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-52619-5

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