Review
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World J Stem Cells. Oct 26, 2013; 5(4): 149-162
Published online Oct 26, 2013. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v5.i4.149
Aiming to immune elimination of ovarian cancer stem cells
Jiabo Di, Tjitske Duiveman-de Boer, Carl G Figdor, Ruurd Torensma
Jiabo Di, Tjitske Duiveman-de Boer, Carl G Figdor, Ruurd Torensma, Department of Tumor Immunology, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, GA 6525 Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Author contributions: Di J and Duiveman-de Boer T performed experiments; Di J, Figdor CG and Torensma R designed research and wrote the paper.
Supported by The Dutch government to the Netherlands Institute for Regenerative Medicine, No. FES0908
Correspondence to: Ruurd Torensma, PhD, Department of Tumor Immunology, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein 28, GA 6525 Nijmegen, The Netherlands. r.torensma@ncmls.ru.nl
Telephone: +31-24-3617600 Fax: +31-24-3540339
Received: February 18, 2013
Revised: June 19, 2013
Accepted: July 18, 2013
Published online: October 26, 2013
Processing time: 254 Days and 16 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Ovarian cancer harbors, at a low frequency, cancer stem cells. Those cancer stem cells express stem cell specific antigens. Natural immunity against those antigens exists but is hampered by the suppressive microenvironment that the tumor creates. Erasing this suppressive microenvironment will make immunological elimination of those cancer stem cells is an attractive treatment option.