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Pancreatic cancer stem cells: regulatory networks in the tumor microenvironment and targeted therapy

  • Topics
  • Stem cells in the Hepato-Biliary-Pancreas
  • Published:
Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences

Abstract

Recent evidence has demonstrated that the existence of a cancer stem cell (CSC) subset in a solid tumor is responsible for the progression and relapse of cancer as well as its resistance to current therapies. Over the past decade, CSC research on pancreatic cancer has progressed. A fundamental understanding of pancreatic CSCs may improve therapies and deepen insight into the role of cell–cell interactions within a tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer progression. This review focuses on the impact of pancreatic CSCs on the regulatory networks in the tumor microenvironment, and the implications of targeting CSCs to treat pancreatic cancer.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Frontier Science Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan

    Sonshin Takao, Qiang Ding & Shyuichiro Matsubara

  2. Division for Cancer and Regenerative Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan

    Sonshin Takao

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  1. Sonshin Takao
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Correspondence to Sonshin Takao.

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Takao, S., Ding, Q. & Matsubara, S. Pancreatic cancer stem cells: regulatory networks in the tumor microenvironment and targeted therapy. J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Sci 19, 614–620 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00534-012-0547-1

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