The Cancer Stem Cell Niche


Book Description

The Cancer Stem Cell Niche, Volume Five in the Advances in Stem Cells and their Niches series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on a variety of timely topics, including Acute lymphoblastic leukemia and the bone marrow microenvironment, Stem cell niches in bone and their roles in cancer metastasis, The role of vasculature in cancer stem cell niches, The lung cancer stem cell niche, The prostate cancer stem cell niche: Genetic drivers and therapeutic approaches, Impact of prostate cancer stem cell niches on prostate cancer tumorigenesis and progression, The testicular cancer stem cell niche. Provides the authority and expertise of leading contributors from an international board of authors Presents the latest release in the Advances in Stem Cells and their Niches series Includes the latest information on the Cancer Stem Cell Niche




Cancer Stem Cells


Book Description

Cancer Stem Cells covers a wide range of topics in cancer stem cell biology, including the functional characteristics of cancer stem cells and how they're generated, where they are localized, the means by which cancer stem cells can be targeted, and how cancer stem cells can be reprogrammed back to normal tissue stem cells. Each chapter begins with a brief historical note and concept summary, followed by a description of the latest basic or clinical advance associated with the topic. Cancer Stem Cells builds systematically from coverage of the basic research stage to an advanced research level, from clinical relevance to therapeutic potential, and will be a valuable resource for professionals in the fields of cancer research and stem cell biology.




Stem Cells – From Hype to Real Hope


Book Description

This book is a compilation of the bench experience of leading experts from various research labs involved in the cutting edge area of research. The authors describe the use of stem cells both as part of the combinatorial therapeutic intervention approach and as tools (disease model) during drug development, highlighting the shift from a conventional symptomatic treatment strategy to addressing the root cause of the disease process. The book is a continuum of the previously published book entitled "Stem Cells: from Drug to Drug Discovery" which was published in 2017.




Metastatic Cancer: Clinical and Biological Perspectives


Book Description

Most cancer deaths are a result of metastasis. The spread of a primary tumor to colonize neighboring and distant organs is the relentless endgame that defines the neoplastic process. Patients who have been diagnosed with cancer are treated to prevent both the recurrence of the tumor at the site of origin and metastasis that would re-stage them as advanced stage IV cancer. Historically and still with some types of cancer, stage IV is perceived by patients as “terminal.” Fortunately, recent molecular therapies have extended the lives of patients with advanced cancer and reassuringly people living with metastatic disease increasingly visit our clinics. What is the path forward? Given that the consilience of science and medicine is a dynamic art from which therapies arise, it would be misguided to consider any single work adequate at capturing the horizon for research. So with humility we constructed this text as primer for scientists. It begins with a broad introduction to the clinical management of common cancers. This is intended to serve as a foundation for investigators to consider when developing basic science hypotheses. Unquestionably, medical and surgical care of cancer patients reveals biology and dictates how novel therapeutics will ultimately be evaluated in clinical trials. The second section of this text offers provocative and evolving insights that underscore the breadth of science involved in the elucidation of cancer metastasis biology. The text concludes with information that integrates scientific and clinical foundations to highlight translational research. This book serves as a framework for scientists to conceptualize clinical and translational knowledge on the complexity of disease that is metastatic cancer.




Rediscovering Cancer: From Mechanism to Therapy


Book Description

This volume presents a snapshot of some of the most important ongoing research in cancer. With cancer as the second leading cause of death worldwide, extensive research is going on globally to decipher the molecular mechanism underlying cancer that will help in finding better targets for drug therapy. The book brings together new research on molecular mechanism and cancer therapeutics in one place. With chapters from experts in their respective fields, chapters cover molecular mechanisms, etiology, prognosis, detection, and treatment of cancer. Emphasis has been given to the intricate mechanism behind the deregulation of cell division, disruption of cell cycle check points, mutation in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, apoptosis, and erratic cell signaling. The book discusses in detail topics such as angiogenesis and tumor microenvironment, which are increasingly receiving attention, especially in the field of neoplastic vascularization and metastasis. The book also includes chapters detailing the current understanding and the future perspective of cancer stem cells.




Autologous and Cancer Stem Cell Gene Therapy


Book Description

Stem cells provide for life-long cell replacement in tissues and organs, and have inherent homing abilities that are critical in therapeutic applications. Stem cells are also the driving force of cancer where genetic/epigenetic alterations culminate in tumorigenesis either in tissue stem cells or in some of their derivatives. As a rare subset of the tumor, cancer stem cells are the only drive of tumor initiation/propagation. Autologous and cancer stem cells are thus the key targets of 1) long-term and transient-regenerative/epigenetic gene therapy and 2) of recurrence-free anticancer therapy, respectively. While cancer stem cell gene therapy still needs time to accomplish, autologous stem cells have been instrumental in the first unequivocal successes for gene therapy whereby ex vivo retrovirally corrected hematopoietic stem cells have been returned to the patients.This timely book presents 1) the aforementioned stem cell gene therapy achievements that rely on random-integration of therapeutic transgenes into host chromosomes and 2) emerging experimental approaches aimed at eliminating random-integration oncogenic hazards through site-specific integration or gene targeting. Breakthrough endonuclease-boosted gene targeting for gene correction (inherited diseases) or targeted integration of therapeutic transgenes (other disorders) culminating in an efficiency compatible with clinical trials is one of the highlights of the book. Highlights also include the pioneering transplantation of adult pluripotent stem cells as a substitute for tissue-specific stem cells, thereby pinpointing the invaluable potential for stem cell gene therapy applications of autologous cells able to contribute to all three germ layers. Stem cell gene therapy is thus discussed in terms of 1) magnifying stem cell therapeutic homing through transient regenerative gene therapy and 2) of tackling most pathologies (including mitochondrial DNA diseases and ageing disorders) through stem cell repopulation dynamics into appropriate niches (long-term engraftment) and tissues (cell turn-over). Regarding cancer stem cell gene therapy, focus is on both the increasing number of identified tissue-specific cancer stem cells as the ultimate therapeutic targets and on the development of armed stem cells as tumor-homing vectors for targeted anticancer therapy.




Anticancer Drug Development


Book Description

Here in a single source is a complete spectrum of ideas on the development of new anticancer drugs. Containing concise reviews of multidisciplinary fields of research, this book offers a wealth of ideas on current and future molecular targets for drug design, including signal transduction, the cell division cycle, and programmed cell death. Detailed descriptions of sources for new drugs and methods for testing and clinical trial design are also provided. - One work that can be consulted for all aspects of anticancer drug development - Concise reviews of research fields, combined with practical scientific detail, written by internationally respected experts - A wealth of ideas on current and future molecular targets for drug design, including signal transduction, the cell division cycle, and programmed cell death - Detailed descriptions of the sources of new anticancer drugs, including combinatorial chemistry, phage display, and natural products - Discussion of how new drugs can be tested in preclinical systems, including the latest technology of robotic assay systems, cell culture, and experimental animal techniques - Hundreds of references that allow the reader to access relevant scientific and medical literature - Clear illustrations, some in color, that provide both understanding of the field and material for teaching




Mitochondria as Targets for Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention and Therapy


Book Description

This book highlights the importance of phytochemicals and mitochondria in cancer prevention and therapy. Recent scientific discoveries have identified that naturally occurring biologically active compounds (i.e. phytochemicals) target multiple steps of tumorigenesis leading to the inhibition or delay in cancer progression. Mitochondria, organelles within a cell, are a critical target for phytochemicals in regulating the initiation, promotion, and progression of cancer. The book is divided into three parts to better communicate the important findings related to phytochemicals and mitochondria in cancer research. The first part describes updates on environmental and genetic factors causing cancer initiation and progression, the role of mitochondria function in regulating the process of tumorigenesis, and the role of mitochondria in regulating cell death such as apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis. The second part focuses on the elucidation of key target proteins that could be exploited for cancer prevention, an the role of phytochemicals in cancer prevention, updates on basic research related to phytochemicals action critical for cancer prevention, and updates on translational knowledge on cancer prevention by phytochemicals. The third part provides updates on phytochemicals targeting mitochondria for cancer therapy, an overview of action of phytochemicals on cancer stem cells, updates on the role of microRNA in phytochemicals-based therapy of cancer, and updates on phytochemicals-based translation research on therapy for metastatic cancer.




Stem Cells and Cancer Stem Cells, Volume 11


Book Description

Volume 11 in this series discusses therapeutic applications of stem cells in disease and tissue injury. Coverage includes pluripotent stem cells, which can give rise to the endodermal, ectodermal, and mesodermal lineages; multipotent stem cells, which can generate all cells in a particular lineage and unipotent stem cells, which can give rise to only one cell type. This volume also examines cancer stem cells, tumor-initiating cells which possesses the capacity of self-renewal and can give rise to the heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells that comprise the tumor. Coverage extends to molecular mechanisms underlying the derivation and expansion of human embryonic stem cells, the role of specific proteins in the maintenance and inhibition of extraembryonic differentiation of these cells and the role of signaling responsible for the self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells. Nine chapters discuss the clinical importance of cancer stem cells, encompassing glioma, leukemia, ovarian cancer, pediatric sarcomas and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The role of cancer stem cells is also elucidated in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in spreading head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The book goes on to survey therapeutic application of stem cells of hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic origin for regeneration of bones, including in osteoporotic bone disease; to illuminate the application of hematopoietic stem cells in bone regeneration and to discuss their use as a biomarker to facilitate determination of a treatment. The contributors review cells as biomarkers for pediatric solid tumors, and weigh the advantages and limitations of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Also included are details of neural stem cell engraftment in the injured spinal cord; the regenerative potential of neural stem/progenitor cells of newborns and cancer gene therapy potential using neural stem cells. Like the preceding volumes in the series, this book is distinguished for its comprehensive approach, its distinguished roster of 58 contributors representing 10 different countries and its thorough review of leading-edge technology and methods.




The Heterogeneity of Cancer Metabolism


Book Description

Genetic alterations in cancer, in addition to being the fundamental drivers of tumorigenesis, can give rise to a variety of metabolic adaptations that allow cancer cells to survive and proliferate in diverse tumor microenvironments. This metabolic flexibility is different from normal cellular metabolic processes and leads to heterogeneity in cancer metabolism within the same cancer type or even within the same tumor. In this book, we delve into the complexity and diversity of cancer metabolism, and highlight how understanding the heterogeneity of cancer metabolism is fundamental to the development of effective metabolism-based therapeutic strategies. Deciphering how cancer cells utilize various nutrient resources will enable clinicians and researchers to pair specific chemotherapeutic agents with patients who are most likely to respond with positive outcomes, allowing for more cost-effective and personalized cancer therapeutic strategies.