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Tumor Dormancy, Metastasis, and Cancer Stem Cells

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Stem Cells and Cancer

Part of the book series: Cancer Drug Discovery and Development ((CDD&D))

Abstract

Metastatic cancer can recur months or even years after apparently successful treatment of the primary tumor. While the exact mechanisms leading to cancer recurrence remain poorly understood, failure to completely eliminate dormant micrometastases and solitary metastatic cells is believed to be a major contributor. Thus, while not of initial clinical concern, metastatic dormancy is still of significant clinical importance. The discovery of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in several solid tumor types may provide insight into better understanding the process of metastatic dormancy. In this chapter, we review the metastasis process and metastatic dormancy and discuss the parallels that exist between dormant metastatic cells and CSCs. Finally, we consider the therapeutic implications of CSCs and tumor dormancy on the treatment of metastatic disease.

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  1. 1.

    These two authors contributed equally to the book chapter.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank members of our laboratory and our collaborators for helpful discussions during preparation of this book chapter. The authors’ work on dormancy and cancer stem cells is supported in part by grants from the London Regional Cancer Program (A.L.A., A.F.C.) and by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (grant #42511 to A.F.C.) and the US Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (#W81XWH-06-2-0033 to A.F.C.). A.K.C. is the recipient of a Canadian Institute of Health Research Strategic Training Program Scholarship, a Translational Breast Cancer Scholarship through the London Regional Cancer Program, and a Fellowship from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation-Ontario Chapter. J.L.T is supported by a Doctoral Research Award from the Canadian Institute of Health Research. A.L.A. is supported by the Imperial Oil Foundation and A.F.C. is the recipient of a Canada Research Chair in Oncology.

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  1. London Regional Cancer Program, 790 Commissioners Road East, Office A4-903B, N6A 4L6, London, ON, Canada

    Alysha K. Croker, Jason L. Townson, Alison L. Allan & Ann F. Chambers

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  1. Alysha K. Croker
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  2. Jason L. Townson
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  3. Alison L. Allan
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  4. Ann F. Chambers
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Correspondence to Ann F. Chambers .

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    Croker, A.K., Townson, J.L., Allan, A.L., Chambers, A.F. (2009). Tumor Dormancy, Metastasis, and Cancer Stem Cells. In: Teicher, B., Bagley, R. (eds) Stem Cells and Cancer. Cancer Drug Discovery and Development. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-933-8_11

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