Cancer Stem Cells




 * While stem cells may not be the first thing that comes to mind when cancer is brought up, stem cells play a vital role in the way cancer actually works
 * At the source of almost all tumors are at least a small clump of cancer stem cells
 * In some cases it may not be possible to remove all of the tumor due to its location or extent of spreading
 * It is when these cancer stem cells are not completely dealt with that a relapse occurs and the cancer is renewed
 * The true source of these cells is still unknown
 * These cells are a valuable way to test various cancer treatments
 * tumors can be grown in controlled environments where the viability of different treatments can be tested
 * This also removes the issues and red tape involved with human testing
 * Some studies have shown CSCs ability to resist some types of cancer treatment
 * A viable approach to treating cancer is to devise solutions that effectively stop the proliferation of the CSCs into the differentiated tumor cells, effectively stoping cancer at its source
 * Some scientists suggest that the aggressiveness of some cancers is related to the proportion of CSCs in the tumor