Breast Cancer Stem Cells Under Consideration

Stem cells of breast cancer were identified back in 2003. That was surely a way forward in breast cancer care. It is also seen very clearly that since 1990 there is a decline in the death rates due to breast cancer but unfortunately it is the 2nd largest cause of death in women around the world. The reason behind this is the inability to handle the patients with an advanced stage of breast cancer. Despite new technologies being introduced with regards to detection and treatment but still, the situation is quite tensed. The fact is that the available technologies for the treatment of breast cancer can’t be considered sufficient enough rather only a conventional approach. Researches made it clear that the inability of these technologies is linked with the treatment of wrong cells actually. These technologies use to kill the cells of a breast tumor without any discrimination. The target of such technologies should be to attack the specific small cells in a breast tumor. These are called the stem cells.

Do you know what a stem cell is?
As it is discussed earlier that such cells were discovered back in 2003. According to the scientists, there are few stem cells responsible for the development of breast tumor. these specific cells need to be destroyed otherwise the recurrence of cancer is possible and when it returns it actually spread in the other parts and enhance the growth of tumor in the other body parts as well. this procedure is called metastasis. These stem cells are also resilient to conventional radiation and other methods so there is a need to develop new methods to treat breast cancer.

How to identify a stem cell?
Fortunately, all the cells are unique and different from each other as they consist of a specific kind of protein. They also have the surface protein makers over them, which are called CD44. They may have or may not have the two very important recognition signs of CD24 and Lin which is why it becomes so easy for the researchers and scientists to see these cells and examine them closely under the special equipment. This is possible due to the specific makers that they have in order to differentiate them from one another. For instant ALDH is a protein which scientists have identified in the cancer patients. On the basis of this research different techniques can be adapted to treat these stem cells. Researches are still in the process to further pave the way towards more sufficient treatment and obviously to upgrade the standard of life. Metastasis is the most dangerous situation in cancer. Stem cells actually interfere in this process and spread the disease to a certain level where it turns into metastasis and damages the other parts of the body. The elimination of stem cells is very important to kill cancer otherwise recurrence is a very much possible phenomenon. Breast cancer care is indeed a responsibility and one has to realize the consequences of this disease as well as the related factors.