Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Stem Cells. Sep 26, 2026; 18(9): 122395
Published online Sep 26, 2026. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.122395
Published online Sep 26, 2026. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.122395
Cancer stem cell plasticity drives therapy resistance in colorectal cancer
Uğur Topal, Department of Surgical Oncology, Cukurova University, Adana 01000, Türkiye
Ahmet Gökhan Saritas, Department of General Surgery, Çukurova University, Adana 01000, Türkiye
Cihan Zamur, Department of Pediatrics, Sehitkamil State Hospital, Gaziantep 27000, Türkiye
Author contributions: Topal U conceived and designed the study, supervised the research project, performed the literature review, interpreted the data, drafted and critically revised the manuscript, and served as the corresponding author with overall responsibility for the integrity of the work; Saritas AG contributed to the study design, participated in the literature review, assisted in data interpretation, critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content, and approved the final version; Zamur C contributed to the literature review, assisted in manuscript preparation and revision, participated in interpretation of the findings, and approved the final version. All authors reviewed the final manuscript, approved its submission, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the manuscript.
AI contribution statement: In accordance with the Artificial Intelligence Tool Usage Policy of Baishideng Publishing Group, I would like to provide the following disclosure regarding the use of AI-assisted tools during the preparation of our manuscript. AI was not listed as an author or co-author. The manuscript was not entirely generated using translation software. AI-assisted tools, including ChatGPT, were used only as assistive technologies for language editing, proofreading, structural organization, literature organization, and reference formatting. AI assistance was also used to improve the clarity, flow, and presentation of selected manuscript sections under full human supervision. No AI tool was used to generate original scientific data, perform raw data analysis, conduct statistical analyses, make independent scientific interpretations, or draw scientific conclusions. No figures or tables were generated by AI unless otherwise stated in the manuscript submission files. The authors carefully reviewed, verified, revised, and approved all AI-assisted outputs. We take full responsibility and accountability for the integrity, accuracy, originality, scientific validity, and final content of the manuscript and all submitted materials.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Uğur Topal, PhD, Associate Professor, Chief, FACS, Department of Surgical Oncology, Cukurova University, Balcalı Mahallesi, Sarıçam, Adana 01000, Türkiye. sutopal2005@hotmail.com
Received: April 17, 2026
Revised: July 10, 2026
Accepted: September 15, 2026
Published online: September 26, 2026
Processing time: 160 Days and 11.3 Hours
Revised: July 10, 2026
Accepted: September 15, 2026
Published online: September 26, 2026
Processing time: 160 Days and 11.3 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are major drivers of therapy resistance, recurrence, and metastasis in colorectal cancer. Increasing evidence indicates that CSC plasticity enables differentiated tumor cells to reacquire stem-like properties, thereby sustaining tumor heterogeneity and therapeutic failure. This review highlights the molecular mechanisms regulating CSC plasticity, including developmental signaling pathways, epigenetic reprogramming, metabolic adaptation, and tumor mic