Abstract

According to the statistic data of cancer in China, breast cancer has the highest incidence in female residents in cities of China. Although the traditional therapies, including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy have led to the increased 5-year and 10-year survival, there are still a small number of cancer cells survived from treatment, causing cancer recurrence and/or metastasis. Around 70% of survived breast cancer can metastasize to the lung, 60% to the bone and liver and 15% to the brain. Breast cancer stem cells, a subpopulation of breast cancer cells carrying stem cell properties, have strong ability to regenerate tumor and natural resistance to radiation and chemotherapy, which may be responsible for cancer recurrence and metastasis. The strategies targeting at cancer stem cell bring new hope for the treatment of cancer in the near future. In human breast cancer tissues, ALDH positive cells and CD44+ CD24- Lin- cells have been identified as breast cancer stem cells. In this review, we discussed the identification, origin, properties, regulatory mechanism of breast cancer stem cells and the resistance against radiation and chemotherapy, as well as the advances of clinical targeted therapy. Key words: Breast neoplasms; Neoplastic stem cells; Radiotherapy; Chemotherapy; Drug resistance

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