Acute myelogenous leukemia stem cells: From Bench to Bedside

Despite reaching remission with traditional chemotherapy, most adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will relapse and die of their disease. Numerous studies have identified a rare subset of leukemia cells that evade traditional chemotherapy and are capable of self-renewal and initiating leukemia. These cells are thought to be responsible for relapse and are termed leukemia stem cells (LSCs). This article will review the current LSC translational research and focus on new approaches to detect LSC burden and its prognostic implications, as well as the identification and development of therapeutic agents active against LSCs.

► Leukemia stem cells are a rare subset of cells capable of self-renewal and initiating leukemia.
► Studies show that high leukemia stem cell burden is associated with poor prognosis.
► Various pre-clinical and clinical trials targeting leukemia stem cells are in development.