Cancer Stem Cells and the Development of Cancer

The dynamic processes during the various cancer stages of initiation, progression, and invasiveness are all influenced by cancer stem cells (CSCs). Increasing evidence suggests that eradicating CSCs might effectively cure multiple types of cancers. This chapter will discuss the different perspectives of CSC concept starting from their history and origin to their implications in the multistep cancer development. We will highlight the genetic and epigenetic modifications of CSCs, and their correlation with tumor progression, metastasis, immune evasion, and resistance to anti-cancer treatments.