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Hypoxia in solid tumors: a key promoter of cancer stem cell (CSC) resistance

  • Review – Cancer Research
  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are highly tumorigenic cell types that reside within specific areas of tumor microenvironment (TME), and are endowed with self-renewal and resistance properties. Here, we aimed to discuss mechanisms involved in hypoxia-derived CSC resistance and targeting for effective cancer therapy.

Results

Preferential localization within hypoxic niches would help CSCs develop adaptive mechanisms, mediated through the modification of responses to various stressors and, as a result, show a more aggressive behavior.

Conclusion

Hypoxia, in fact, serves as a multi-tasking strategy to nurture CSCs with this adaptive capacity, complexing targeted therapies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Department, School of Paramedical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

    Masoud Najafi

  2. Departments of Medical Physics and Radiology, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran

    Bagher Farhood

  3. Cancer and Immunology Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran

    Keywan Mortezaee

  4. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran

    Keywan Mortezaee

  5. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran

    Ebrahim Kharazinejad

  6. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Jamal Majidpoor & Reza Ahadi

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  1. Masoud Najafi
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  2. Bagher Farhood
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Correspondence to Keywan Mortezaee.

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Najafi, M., Farhood, B., Mortezaee, K. et al. Hypoxia in solid tumors: a key promoter of cancer stem cell (CSC) resistance. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 146, 19–31 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-019-03080-1

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