PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Jabed Iqbal
AU  - Pek Yoon Chong
AU  - Puay Hoon Tan
TI  - Breast cancer stem cells: an update
AID  - 10.1136/jclinpath-2012-201304
DP  - 2013 Jun 01
TA  - Journal of Clinical Pathology
PG  - 485--490
VI  - 66
IP  - 6
4099  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/66/6/485.short
4100  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/66/6/485.full
SO  - J Clin Pathol2013 Jun 01; 66
AB  - Breast cancer is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in women with a high incidence of recurrence or treatment failure. Growing evidence suggests that cancer stem cells (CSCs) most likely contribute to tumour progression, spread and therapy failure. However, despite extensive research and the tremendous clinical potential of such cells in possible therapeutic management, the real nature of CSCs remains an enigma. In this review, we discuss the fundamental properties and molecular target of CSCs and focus on recent advances regarding the identification of CSC markers with emphasis on breast cancer and the underlying molecular mechanism of CSC phenotypes. We also discuss experimental evidence of targeting molecular pathways in order to modulate breast CSC behaviour in tumourigenesis and the controversies associated with it that potentially weaken the CSC model in breast cancer and other cancers as well.