EpCAM is critical for tumor proliferation and oxaliplatin chemoresistance in EpCAMhigh/CD44+ colorectal cancer stem cells

Abstract

A small subpopulation of colorectal cancer stem cells (CSCs) possess the ability to self-renew and the capacity to initiate the original tumor. EpCAMhigh/CD44+ cells are regarded as CSCs in colorectal cancer. The present study was undertaken to investigate the significance of EpCAM in the in vitro proliferation ability and oxaliplatin chemoresistance of EpCAMhigh/CD44+ colorectal CSCs.

Keywords

• cd44
• colorectal cancer
• epcam
• oxaliplatin chemoresistance
• tumor proliferation