Researchers uncover a survival mechanism in cancer cells
An international study led by scientists from the Crick Institute in London and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem revealed a survival mechanism in cancer cells that allows the disease to erupt again even after aggressive treatment. In a paper published in Science the researchers describe the mechanism by which cancer tumor cells become cancer stem cells that can sustain long-term growth. When cancer develops, the generated cells are not uniform in their biological properties and contribute differently to tumor development. Only a small portion of cancer cells can form new tumors or metastases, and these are called "cancer stem cells." This disparity between tumor cells poses major challenges in understanding the nature of the tumor, its sensitivity to drugs, and planning an effective treatment that will eliminate all tumor cells. "Many chemotherapy drugs leave a small amount of cancer stem cells that cause a renewed outbreak of the disease after a few years. It ...