Epithelial plasticity in urothelial carcinoma: Current advancements and future challenges

Core Tip

Core tip: A subset of bladder cancer cells, known as urothelial cancer stem cells, have abilities to self-renew, generate tumor heterogeneity via differentiation, and are actually responsible for tumor relapse and metastasis formation. Delineating the mechanistic complexity between epithelial plasticity and cancer stemness in malignant transformation of urothelial carcinoma provides the basis for designing rational therapies. Differentiation and elimination therapies targeting the potential biomarkers could prove to be clinically beneficial by suppressing the cancer stemness and inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition phenotype and would provide novel opportunities for targeted therapeutic approaches in the clinical management of patients.