Signaling pathways point to vulnerability in breast cancer stem cells

Researchers have identified signals impinging on breast epithelial cells that can induce those cells to acquire and stably display migratory and self-renewing characteristics. These signals appear to be responsible for maintaining both normal mammary epithelial stem cells and the stem cells in breast carcinomas. Interrupting these and other extracellular signals strips the various types of stem cells of the migratory and self-renewal abilities used by cancer stem cells to seed new tumors.

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