Stem Cells: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

In the field of cancer research, stem cells have become a topic of great interest due to their ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are controlled by developmental networks that are often topologically indistinguishable from normal, healthy stem cells. However, CSCs can exhibit phenotypic differences and morphological effects that are distinct from normal stem cells. The question arises as to why this is the case. Recent research suggests that the difference between CSCs and normal stem cells lies not in their network architecture but rather in the spatial-temporal locality of their activation in the genome and resulting expression in the body. The metastatic potential of CSCs is not primarily based on their network divergence from normal stem cells but on non-network-based genetic changes that enable the evolution of gene-based phenotypic properties of the cell, allowing it to escape and travel to other parts of the body. Stem cell network theory allows for precise prediction of stem cell behavioral dynamics and mathematical description of proliferation for both normal and cancerous stem cells. It has been suggested that targeting higher-order stem cells first may be the best therapeutic approach, as spontaneous remission of so-called cured cancers will always be a danger if lower-order CSCs remain untreated. Additionally, understanding how CSC networks differ from those of healthy stem cells may lead to new methods for diagnosing and treating not only CSC-related cancers but also cancers generally. Therefore, while CSCs share many similarities with healthy stem cells at a network level, they exhibit unique characteristics that make them an important target for future cancer therapies. By understanding these differences between CSCs and healthy stem cells at both a network level and a genetic level, researchers can develop more effective treatments for various types of cancer.