Innovative Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death. Although many advances in the treatment of this disease have been made, a large number of patients develop metastasis and resistance to current therapies. The current evidence indicates that cancer stem cells (CSCs) and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) have crucial roles in colorectal carcinogenesis and metastasis. It is also very important to understand the mechanisms that allow the survival of CSCs, such as metabolic reprogramming, which permits them to obtain specific properties or the activation of alternative signaling pathways in response to first-line therapies. In this review, we discuss the failure of conventional therapies for colorectal cancer and provide a brief analysis of new therapeutic strategies for targeting non-responsive CSC. We highlight the use of combination therapies, such as horizontal or vertical targeting, as the most efficient strategy for eradicating these subpopulations of cancer cells.