Characterization of Cancer Stem Cells in Colon Adenocarcinoma Metastasis to the Liver

Authors: Hugo N. Humphries, Susrutha K. Wickremesekera, Reginald W. Marsh, Helen D. Brasch, Shreeja Mehrotra, Swee T. Tan and Tinte Itinteang

Frontiers in Surgery 2018. Volume 4

doi:10.3389 /fsurg.2017.00076

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2017.00076

Worldwide, colon cancer is the third most common cause of cancer deaths. In New Zealand it is ranked second. A range of environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors has been attributed to its progression. Approximately 50% of patients with colon cancer develop secondary tumours in the liver and this accounts for two-thirds of the disease-related deaths.

Cancer stem cell populations have now been identified and characterised in liver tumours. This paper confirms that the concept of the presence and function of stem cells established by the GMRI in a number of other cancers is also present in this tumour.