Pancreatic cancer stem cells: New insight into a stubborn disease

• We summarized recent studies focused on pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs).
• PCSCs are responsible for invasion, metastasis and drug resistance.
• Signal pathways, miRNAs, EMT and microenvironment are involved in regulation of PCSCs.
• PCSCs may provide potential therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer.

Resistance to conventional therapy and early distant metastasis contribute to the unsatisfactory prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. The concept of cancer stem cells (CSCs) brings new insights into cancer biology and therapy. Many studies have confirmed the important role of these stem cells in carcinogenesis and the development of hematopoietic and solid cancers. Recent studies have shown that CSCs regulate aggressive behavior, recurrence, and drug resistance in pancreatic cancer. Here, we review recent advances in pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) research. Particular attention is paid to the regulation mechanisms of pancreatic cancer stem cell functions, such as stemness-related signaling pathways, microRNAs, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the tumor microenvironment, and the development of novel PCSCs targeted therapy. We seek to further understand PCSCs and explore potential therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer.