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Identification of Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells: Molecular Pathways

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Stem Cells and Cancer Stem Cells, Volume 11

Part of the book series: Stem Cells and Cancer Stem Cells ((STEM,volume 11))

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Abstract

Ovarian cancer is one of the major causes of cancer-related deaths among the female reproductive tract cancers worldwide. The foremost problem with ovarian cancer is in its heterogeneity, different subtypes and drug resistance. Moreover, the different types of ovarian cancer, such as endometrioid, serous, clear cell and mucinous appends to the complexity of this cancer. These tumors contain a small population of cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), which have the capacity to self-renew and are highly drug resistant, leading to tumor relapse. CSCs have attained tremendous attention in the last decade and have been shown to be a major target in various cancers including ovarian cancer. Understanding the molecular pathways implicated by ovarian CSCs is crucial to combat the residual disease following chemotherapy and combinational therapies. Several markers, such as CD24, CD44, CD117, CD133 and ALDH1, are found to be highly expressed on the surface of ovarian CSCs and can be used as a target as well as to battle ovarian cancer. This book chapter focuses on CSCs and their associate molecules and molecular pathways involved in the maintenance of ovarian CSCs, specific targets and the novel therapeutic implications of ovarian CSCs.

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Acknowledgements

 The authors on this book chapter were supported by the grant from the Elsa U Pardee Foundation (2013).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985870, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA

      Arokia Priyanka Vaz, Parthasarathy Seshacharyulu & Surinder K. Batra

    2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA

      Moorthy P. Ponnusamy

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    1. Arokia Priyanka Vaz
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    2. Parthasarathy Seshacharyulu
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    3. Surinder K. Batra
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    4. Moorthy P. Ponnusamy
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    Correspondence to Moorthy P. Ponnusamy .

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    Editors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Biological Sciences, Kean university, Room 213, Library Building, Union, New Jersey, USA

      M.A. Hayat

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    Vaz, A.P., Seshacharyulu, P., Batra, S.K., Ponnusamy, M.P. (2014). Identification of Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells: Molecular Pathways. In: Hayat, M. (eds) Stem Cells and Cancer Stem Cells, Volume 11. Stem Cells and Cancer Stem Cells, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7329-5_15

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