Cancer Stem Cell & Oncology Research

Biological Basis of Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer stem cells represent a distinct subpopulation of cells within malignant tumors that possess the biological ability to self renew and to generate diverse cell lineages found in cancer tissues. These cells share functional similarities with normal stem cells, including long term proliferative potential and differentiation capacity, but they differ in their dysregulated growth control and genomic instability. The biological origin of cancer stem cells remains an area of active investigation, with evidence suggesting that they may arise either from transformed normal stem cells or from differentiated cancer cells that reacquire stem like features through genetic and epigenetic alterations. At the cellular level, cancer stem cells exhibit slow cycling behavior, resistance to cellular stress, and enhanced survival mechanisms, allowing them to persist within tumors over extended periods. They play a central role in maintaining tumor architecture by continuously replenishing the bulk population of cancer cells. Molecularly, cancer stem cells are characterized by the expression of stemness associated genes that regulate self renewal, pluripotency, and cellular fate decisions. These biological properties contribute to tumor initiation, growth sustainability, and cellular hierarchy. Understanding the biological foundation of cancer stem cells is essential for explaining why tumors behave as dynamic and evolving systems rather than uniform masses of identical cells.