摘要
Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a pressing global health problem and is the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide.Despite continuous advances in treatment modalities,the 5-year survival rate is low with a high propensity for recurrence and metastasis1.This clinical challenge in treating HCC is largely attributed to the heterogeneity and intrinsic therapy resistance of cancer stem cells(CSCs),which are a subpopulation of cells with self-renewal capability and multidirectional differentiation potential to induce tumorigenicity2.The behavior and maintenance of CSCs are not autonomous but critically dependent on the complex bidirectional crosstalk between CSCs and the tumor immune microenvironment(TIME)1.In this review we first summarize the recent progress in characterizing CSCs and the interactions between CSCs and the TIME in HCC.Next,we discuss the emerging therapeutic strategies targeting CSC populations with the ongoing challenges.Finally,we give our perspectives on the future directions in HCC CSC research.
基金
supported by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council Theme-based Research Scheme(Grant No.T12-716/22-R)
Innovation and Technology Commission grant for State Key Laboratory of Liver Research(Grant No.ITC PD/17-9)
University Development Fund of The University of Hong Kong,and Loke Yew Endowed Professorship award.I.O.L.Ng is Loke Yew Professor in Pathology.
