Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cancer Therapy

By Khalid Shah

With the thorough understanding of stem cell biology and the advent of targeted therapeutics for cancer, stem cell-based therapeutic strategies are being increasingly explored for the treatment of various cancer types. Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cancer Therapy sheds light on current stem cell based targeted therapies for cancer, by focusing on the application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in various cancers with emphasis on a number of aspects that are critical to the success of future stem cell based therapies for cancer. Sections of this publication are devoted to developing stem cell based therapies for cancer with the main focus on tumoritrophic properties of stem cells, engineering targeted therapeutics, utilization of imaging techniques and the recent combination studies utilizing currently employed therapeutics with stem cells. Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cancer Therapy informs readers about critical and cutting edge stem cell therapies for cancer and also enables them to appreciate the vast plain of unresolved questions in stem cell research for cancer therapeutics.

• Includes biological foundation on key sources of mesenchymal stem cells and the various ways they can be utilized to treat cancer
• Provides examples of current MSC based cancer therapies and prospects for the future with insights from the leading lab on cancer cell therapies
• Technically advanced topic written for widespread understanding for clinical and research audiences

• Language: English
• Publisher: Academic Press
• Release date: Dec 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9780124166653

Khalid Shah

Dr. Khalid Shah is the Director for the Stem Cell Therapeutics and Imaging Program and the Molecular Neurotherapy and Imaging Laboratory in the Department of Radiology and Neurology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Univeristy. He is Principle Faculty at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.

Book preview

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cancer Therapy

Khalid Shah

Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Table of Contents

Cover image

Title page

Copyright

Genetically Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Targeted Foes of Cancer

1 Introduction

2 MSC Sources

3 MSC Homing and Migration

4 MSC for Tumor Therapy

5 Synergistic Approaches Utilizing MSC-Based Therapeutics with Other Antitumor Agents

6 Encapsulated MSC for Therapy

7 In vivo Imaging of Stem Cell Fate, Antitumor Agent Pharmacokinetics and Therapeutic Efficacy

8 Prospects and Caveats

Acknowledgments

References

Copyright

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First published 2014

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ISBN: 978-0-12-416606-6

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Genetically Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Targeted Foes of Cancer

With the thorough understanding of stem cell biology and the advent of targeted therapeutics for cancer, stem cell-based therapeutic strategies are being increasingly explored in the treatment of various cancer types. However, the role of stem cell therapies in cancer treatment, especially within developing targeted therapies, has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this publication is to shed light on current studies of this nature, by focusing on the application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in various cancers with emphasis on a number of aspects that are critical to the success of future stem cell-based therapies for cancer. These include stem cell sources, tumor specificity, targeted therapeutics, and visualizing the stem cell and therapeutic agent pharmacokinetics which will ultimately allow translation of preclinical studies into early phase clinical studies. This publication aims to inform readers about critical and cutting edge stem cell therapies for cancer and also enable them to appreciate the vast plain of unresolved questions in stem cell research for cancer therapeutics.

Keywords

Mesenchymal stem cells; cancer therapy; migration; delivery vehicles; targeting; molecular imaging

1 Introduction

Currently, one in three women and one in two men in the United States will develop cancer in their lifetime [1]. Despite the considerable progress that has been made in nationally reducing cancer incidence and increasing patient survival, many common treatment options are in need of vast improvement and novel therapeutics are fervently desired. The most notable pitfalls of current treatments are the short half-life of a number of cancer-specific drugs, their limited delivery to some cancer types, and their adverse effects on vital noncancerous bodily tissues and functions. In response to such hindrances, many researchers have directed their studies