Cancer Stem Cell Biomarkers: Critical Roles, Challenges, Clinical Application, and Perspectives in Cancer Therapy

Progress in cancer stem cells (CSCs) has opened up a new window to develop better cancer treatment methods. Several preclinical and clinical trial studies use CSCs targeting via surface markers method and inhibiting stem cell pathway to eradicate cancer. Investigations disclose that CSCs are more resistant to chemo- and radiotherapy than non-CSCs. If CSCs are destroyed with treatment, cancer cells will be deleted. This feature is mainly related to their surface biomarkers and thus, detection and Isolation of CSCs are so critical. This study introduced the most important cell surface markers of CSCs such as CD133, CD44, CD24, and CD90 and evaluated these biomarkers. Today, more than 60 ongoing trials have been evaluated, few of which are used in clinical trials to determine if a new drug is effective. Then, we discuss the challenges of several therapies.