Cancer Stem Cells in Solid Tumors represents a detailed overview of cancer stem cells and their role in solid cancers. Comprised of 24 chapters, this volume will provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of this important and evolving field.

Topics covered include:

• Introduction of the CSC hypothesis
• Historical perspectives and the contributing lessons from leukemia
• Current knowledge regarding the identification and role of CSCs in various forms of solid cancer including breast, brain, colorectal, pancreatic, prostate, melanoma, lung, ovarian, hepatocellular, and head and neck cancer
• Molecular pathways involved in driving CSC function, with a particular focus on the novel convergence of embryonic and tumorigenic signaling pathways
• In vitro and in vivo assays, model systems, and imaging modalities for studying CSCs
• The clinical importance of CSCs for cancer management and treatment, including important implications for prognosis, prediction, and treatment resistance
• Consideration of the controversy surrounding the CSC hypothesis and important unanswered questions in this field

This collective work was written by a group of prominent international experts in cancer biology, oncology, and/or stem cell biology. It will serve as a valuable resource for established researchers, professors, health care professionals, and students in the medical and scientific community who are investigating stem cells and/or oncology.