A Mathematical Model of Average Dynamics in a Stem Cell Hierarchy Suggests the Combinatorial Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells and Progenitor Cells as a Potential Strategy against Tumor Growth.

The cancer stem cell hypothesis states that tumors are maintained by a small subpopulation of stem-like cells, often called cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor initiating cells. CSCs can self-renew and give rise to more differentiated cells, which comprise the bulk of the tumor. In addition, CSCs are resistant to conventional therapy, which suggests that they are responsible for tumor relapse.