About this Research Topic

Background

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subset within tumors holding stemness properties with a dynamic force in tumor progression and therapy resistance. Metastatic cancer stem cells (MCSCs) are a small sub-population of cancer cells with self-renewal, tumor-initiating ability, and invasiveness properties that potentially contribute to metastasis. Current therapies are targeting a major tumor portion of the cancer cells, but a small stem cell-like population might remain untouched and cause relapse. Such types of stem cells persist in tumors giving rise to enhanced capacities for invasiveness, self-renewal, metastasizing, homing, and reproliferation. Hence, establishing distinct therapies targeted at cancer stem cells will open new vistas for the treatment of the metastatic cancer. Therefore, it is essential to find other promising treatment methods for the cure of cancer malignancies.

Some plant and fungal metabolites seem to have a significant impact upon cancer stem cells, and thus they could potentially be used in cancer metastasis prevention and therapy. These metabolites may regulate molecular pathways which are associated with the growth and progression of cancer. Therefore, inhibition of cancer stem cells using plant-based drugs paves a new path towards cancer metastasis therapy. However, the anti-cancer effects of plant-derived metabolites has not yet been the focus of a systematic series of investigations.

This Research Topic encourages high quality research contributions related to plant derived bioactive metabolites with effects on cancer metastasis by targeting cancer stem cells (pre-clinical research). Potentially clinical studies may also be considered. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives focusing on plant-based drugs, especially the following subtopics:

• Metabolites targeting cancer stem cell pathways for cancer therapy
• Chemosensitization of cancer stem cells by plant metabolites.
• Modulation of the unique microenvironment of cancer stem cells using medicinal plant extracts or isolated metabolites.
• Novel bioactive plant metabolites targeting cancer stemness and metastasis.
• Enhanced bioavailability of metabolites targeting cancer stem cells therapy.
• Metabolite-based nanomedicines targeting stem cells for cancer therapy.
• The potential of plant and fungal metabolites to induce microRNA resulting in regulating metastasis by targeting cancer stem cells
• Novel plant-based metabolites targeting cancer stem cell and metastasis.
• Metabolites targeting autophagy and apoptosis in cancer stem cells.
• Plant-derived drugs targeting cancer stem cells using immunologic approaches.

All the manuscripts submitted to the collection will need to fully comply with the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology (you can freely download the full version here).

Chemical anti-oxidant assays like the DPPH assay are of no pharmacological relevance, see also: here. This journal subscribes to the ConPhyMP statement: Front. Pharmacol. 13:953205 and a sufficiently detailed description of any extract used is mandatory.

Keywords: Cancer stem cells, phytochemicals, invasiveness, malignancies, metastasis, Chemosensitization

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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