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 Gastrointest Oncol. Mar 15, 2026; 18(3): 115835
Published online Mar 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i3.115835
Published online Mar 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i3.115835
From bench to bedside: Stem cell applications in gastric cancer therapy and their emerging clinical relevance
Ioana A Prisacariu, Department of Rehabilitation, Luzerner Kantonsspital Wolhusen, Lucerne 6110, Luzern, Switzerland
Konstantinos E Koumarelas, Department of General and Orthopaedic Surgery, Spitalverbund Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Herisau 9100, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland
Panagiotis Papadopoulos, Department of General Surgery, Spitalverbund Appenzell Aus
Dimitrios Schizas, Department of First Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
Grigorios Christodoulidis, Department of General Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa 41110, Thessalia, Greece
Co-first authors: Ioana A Prisacariu and Konstantinos E Koumarelas.
Author contributions: Prisacariu IA and Koumarelas KE contributed equally to this work as co-first authors. The reasons for designating them as co–first authors are threefold: First, the research was performed as a collaborative effort, and the designation of co-first authorship accurately reflects the distribution of responsibilities and the substantial time and effort invested by both authors in completing the study and manuscript. This joint leadership also facilitated effective communication and coordination of post-submission matters, enhancing the quality and reliability of the final work; Second, the overall research team included authors with diverse expertise and skills, and the co-first authorship designation best reflects this diversity. By contributing complementary perspectives in study design, data synthesis, and manuscript drafting, both authors ensured a more comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the research question, thereby enriching readers’ understanding; Third, both authors contributed efforts of equal substance throughout the research process from literature search and study selection to data analysis, drafting, and critical revision. Recognizing them as co-first authors acknowledges and respects this equality of contribution, while underlining the collaborative and team-oriented spirit of the project; Prisacariu IA, Koumarelas KE and Papadopoulos P wrote and edited the manuscript; Christodoulidis G and Schizas D conceived the study, edited and finalized the manuscript for submission, reviewed and approved the submitted manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: Grigorios Christodoulidis, MD, Doctor, Department of General Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Mezourlo, Larissa 41110, Thessalia, Greece.
Received: October 27, 2025
Revised: November 16, 2025
Accepted: December 23, 2025
Published online: March 15, 2026
Processing time: 136 Days and 15 Hours
Revised: November 16, 2025
Accepted: December 23, 2025
Published online: March 15, 2026
Processing time: 136 Days and 15 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs) are key mediators of recurrence, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Un