Title:Novel Therapeutics Against Breast Cancer Stem Cells by Targeting Surface Markers and Signaling Pathways
Volume: 14
Issue: 8
Author(s): Plabon K. Das, Md. A. Rakib, Jahan A. Khanam, Suja Pillai and Farhadul Islam*
Affiliation:
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205,Bangladesh
Keywords:
Breast cancer, BCSCs, surface markers, signaling pathways, therapeutic options, breast cancer.
Abstract:
Background: Breast cancer remains to be one of the deadliest forms of cancers, owing to
the drug resistance and tumor relapse caused by breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) despite notable advancements
in radio-chemotherapies.
Objectives: To find out novel therapeutics against breast cancer stem cells by aiming surface markers
and signaling pathways.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted through various electronic databases including,
Pubmed, Scopus, Google scholar using the keywords "BCSCs, surface markers, signaling pathways
and therapeutic options against breast cancer stem cell. Articles selected for the purpose of this review
were reviewed and extensively analyzed.
Results: Novel therapeutic strategies include targeting BCSCs surface markers and aberrantly activated
signaling pathways or targeting their components, which play critical roles in self-renewal and defense,
have been shown to be significantly effective against breast cancer. In this review, we represent a
number of ways against BCSCs surface markers and hyper-activated signaling pathways to target this
highly malicious entity of breast cancer more effectively in order to make a feasible and useful strategy
for successful breast cancer treatment. In addition, we discuss some characteristics of BCSCs in disease
progression and therapy resistance.
Conclusion: BCSCs involved in cancer pathogenesis, therapy resistance and cancer recurrence. Thus,
it is suggested that a multi-dimensional therapeutic approach by targeting surface markers and aberrantly
activated signaling pathways of BCSCs alone or in combination with each other could really be
worthwhile in the treatment of breast cancer.
