Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells and tumor behavior

Under the framework of cancer stem cell (CSC) or tumor initiating cell (TIC) hypothesis, cancer cells are hierarchically organized in a tumor bulk. TICs give rise to phenotypically heterogeneous progenies, contributing to the wide range of clinical presentations and non-uniform response to the treatment of NB.  Fibromuscular and glial lineage commitment of TIC favors tumor regression and maturation, respectively, whereas differentiation to the neuronal lineage results in a malignant tumor progression.