Cancer stem cells in progression of colorectal cancer

// Yujuan Zhou 1, * , Longzheng Xia 1, * , Heran Wang 1 , Linda Oyang 1 , Min Su 1 , Qiang Liu 1 , Jingguan Lin 1 , Shiming Tan 1 , Yutong Tian 1 , Qianjin Liao 1 and Deliang Cao 1, 2 1 Hunan Key Laboratory of Translational Radiation Oncology, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China 2 Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology & Cell Biology, Simmons Cancer Institute, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, 62794, USA * These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Deliang Cao, email: dcao@siumed.edu Qianjin Liao, email: march-on@126.com Keywords: colorectal cancer; cancer stem cells; metastasis; epithelial mesenchymal transition; tumor microenvironment Received: August 28, 2017      Accepted: November 05, 2017      Epub: December 22, 2017      Published: September 07, 2018 ABSTRACT Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide with high mortality. Distant metastasis and relapse are major causes of patient death. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a critical role in the metastasis and relapse of colorectal cancer. CSCs are a subpopulation of cancer cells with unique properties of self-renewal, infinite division and multi-directional differentiation potential. Colorectal CSCs are defined with a group of cell surface markers, such as CD44, CD133, CD24, EpCAM, LGR5 and ALDH. They are highly tumorigenic, chemoresistant and radioresistant and thus are critical in the metastasis and recurrence of colorectal cancer and disease-free survival. This review article updates the colorectal CSCs with a focus on their role in tumor initiation, progression, drug resistance and tumor relapse.