Published online Oct 15, 2016. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v8.i10.735
Peer-review started: April 7, 2016
First decision: June 6, 2016
Revised: June 24, 2016
Accepted: August 6, 2016
Article in press: August 8, 2016
Published online: October 15, 2016
Processing time: 176 Days and 4.8 Hours
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) constitute a small proportion of the cancer cells that have self-renewal capacity and tumor-initiating ability. They have been identified in a variety of tumors, including tumors of the digestive system. CSCs exhibit some unique characteristics, which are responsible for cancer metastasis and recurrence. Consequently, the development of effective therapeutic strategies against CSCs plays a key role in increasing the efficacy of cancer therapy. Several potential approaches to target CSCs of the digestive system have been explored, including targeting CSC surface markers and signaling pathways, inducing the differentiation of CSCs, altering the tumor microenvironment or niche, and inhibiting ATP-driven efflux transporters. However, conventional therapies may not successfully eradicate CSCs owing to various problems, including poor solubility, stability, rapid clearance, poor cellular uptake, and unacceptable cytotoxicity. Nanomedicine strategies, which include drug, gene, targeted, and combinational delivery, could solve these problems and significantly improve the therapeutic index. This review briefly summarizes the ongoing development of strategies and nanomedicine-based therapies against CSCs of the digestive system.
Core tip: There are reviews in the literature contributed to the applications of nanotechnology for the detection and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. However this is a first review to report the current development of strategies and nanomedicine-based therapies against cancer stem cells of the digestive system.