Abstract

REY-CARO, Luz-Aida; PINZON, Paula  and  CRUZ-RODRIGUEZ, Nataly. Emerging molecular mechanisms and leukemic stem cells in chemoresistance of hematologic tumors. Rev. Univ. Ind. Santander. Salud [online]. 2020, vol.52, n.2, pp.131-146.  Epub Mar 18, 2020. ISSN 0121-0807.  https://doi.org/10.18273/revsal.v52n2-2020007.

Acute leukemias (AL) are clonal disorders originated from multi-potent immature hematopoietic cells and are characterized by aberrant proliferation, differentiation and maturation of leukemic progenitor cells as a result of multiple genetic and epigenetic events. Even though different chemotherapy regimens have been implemented to improve patient prognostic, acute leukemias represent a hematological malignancy with poor clinical outcome and low survival rates in pediatric and adult patients in Colombia. One of the main obstacles to the success of cancer treatment is the development of drug resistance during chemotherapy and the recurrent disease. In the study of tumor cells biology, it is now known that clonal evolution and oncogenic changes of tumor cells are biological properties that confer resistance mechanisms to conventional chemotherapy, which in turn translate into an increased mortality rate and/or an increased risk of relapse in leukemia patients. Therefore, the study of mechanisms that leukemic cells employ to avoid the cytotoxic effects of some chemotherapeutics is a main objective of cancer research. In this context, the objective of the current paper is to give a detailed information about recent advances in mechanisms involved in leukemic resistance, with special emphasis on the role of leukemic stem cells theory and tumor metabolism.

Keywords : Leukemia; Chemoresistance; Stem cells; Tumor metabolism; Survival..

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