Cancer Stem Cell Resistance to Targeted Therapy

• Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
• Other Authors: Maccalli, Cristina (Editor, http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/edt), Todaro, Matilde (Editor, http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/edt), Ferrone, Soldano (Editor, http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/edt)
• Format: Electronic eBook
• Language: English
• Published: Cham : Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Springer, 2019.
• Edition: 1st ed. 2019.
• Series: Resistance to Targeted Anti-Cancer Therapeutics, 19
• Subjects: Cancer research.; Immunology.; Molecular biology.; Cancer Research.; Molecular Medicine.
• Physical Description: XIX, 256 p. 21 illus. in color. online resource.
• ISBN: 9783030166243
• ISSN: 2196-5501 ;
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-16624-3

This book represents an updated summary of the state of the art of the characterization of cancer stem cell/cancer initiating cell (CSC/CIC) properties. Experts provide an overview of the definition and biological properties of CSCs/CICs as well as the role of these cells in determining the resistance to standard and immune-based therapies. It also discusses limitations in the achievement of a definitive biological characterization of CSCs/CICs due to their high extent of plasticity and heterogeneity that is also mutually driven by the interaction of these cells with the tumor microenvironment. The limitations in targeting CSCs/CICs with immunotherapy are also explained together with explorative combination approaches that could increase the susceptibility of these cells to the recognition by immune cells. This book is conceived for a broad audience, including students, teachers, scientific experts. The critical revision of available results in terms of immunological profile of CSCs/CICs and the efficacy in targeting these cells by immunological approaches, results in a comprehensive and up to date recapitulation of the field and provides interesting suggestions on how to focus future investigations in order to assess the role of CSCs/CICs as prognostic and predictive biomarkers of responsiveness to therapies for cancer patients.