Potential Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells

Source: Massachusetts General Hospital
Posted: July 22 2006 08:49:12

Summary:

Researchers have identified potential ovarian cancer stem cells, which may be behind the difficulty of treating these tumors with standard chemotherapy. Understanding more about the stem-like characteristics of these cells could lead to new approaches to treating ovarian cancer, which kills more than 16,000 U.S. women annually and is their fifth most common cause of cancer death.

Commentary: If these newly-discovered cancerous stem cells can be turned off or destroyed, maybe it will enable the development of effective treatments for ovarian as well as other forms of cancer.