Intratumoral Heterogeneity: From Diversity Comes Resistance
Cet article passe en revue les travaux récents sur le rôle de l'hétérogénéité intratumorale dans la résistance aux traitements anticancéreux (chimiothérapies et thérapies ciblées)
Tumors consist of a heterogeneous mixture of functionally distinct cancer cells. These functional differences can be caused by varying levels of receptor activity, differentiation, and distinct metabolic and epigenetic states. Intratumoral heterogeneity can lead to interdependence among different subpopulations of cells for sustained tumor growth. In addition, subpopulations can vary widely in their responses to therapeutic agents. As such, it is believed that intratumoral heterogeneity may underlie incomplete treatment responses, acquired and innate resistance, and disease relapse observed in the clinic in response to conventional chemotherapy and targeted agents.