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The beating heart of melanomas: a minor subset of cancer cells sustains tumor growth

The recent observation that targeted elimination of a minor subpopulation of melanoma cells can lastingly eradicate the tumor lesion provides strong evidence that an established melanoma lesion is hierarchically organized and maintained by definite subset of cells but not by every random cancer cell...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Schmidt, Patrick, Abken, Hinrich
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Impact Journals LLC 2011
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3248160/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21487158
Descripción
Sumario:The recent observation that targeted elimination of a minor subpopulation of melanoma cells can lastingly eradicate the tumor lesion provides strong evidence that an established melanoma lesion is hierarchically organized and maintained by definite subset of cells but not by every random cancer cell. This review discusses the concepts of discrete cancer stem cells and of a cellular hierarchy in melanomas, the rationale for shifting therapies from broad tumor cell cytotoxicity into selective cancer cell elimination strategies and the challenges for future therapeutic concepts.