Resistance to chemotherapy
2008
Understanding Chemotherapy Resistance in Tumors
Commentary
Author Information
Author(s): Hofmann J
Primary Institution: Biocenter, Division of Medical Biochemistry, Innsbruck Medical University
Hypothesis
What makes a tumor more sensitive than the tissue from which it originates?
Conclusion
Tumor cells can be resistant to chemotherapy both at the pre-tumorigenic stage and later stages of the disease due to intrinsic properties and the nature of the tissue they originate from.
Supporting Evidence
- Cancer stem cells can resist treatment because they are tough and can repair themselves.
- Some tumors are resistant because they are similar to the normal tissue they come from.
- Certain tumor cells can become sensitive to treatment over time due to changes in their characteristics.
Takeaway
Some cancer cells are tough and can resist medicine that is supposed to kill them, even before they become full-blown tumors. This can happen because they are similar to the normal cells they come from.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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