Given a passage and a query based on the passage, generate an unambiguous, concise and simple answer to the query from information in the passage. Note that the answer may not be present in exact form.

Two known chemotherapy agents effectively target breast cancer stem cells Date: May 2, 2016 Source: Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University Summary: Two existing chemotherapy drugs appear to be a powerful pair in targeting errant stem cells that are making breast cancer and enabling its spread and recurrence, scientists report. Share: Chemotherapy targets cancer cells through similar biological processes. For instance, early chemotherapy drugs attacked folate, which is a key component of cellular division. Since cancer cells divide more than normal cells, they are more greatly harmed by this drug. Newer chemotherapy agents target specific mutations in certain cancer cells, making their effects very specific to only the tumor. To your last point, radiation and chemo both can induce future cancers. Radiation therapy targets cancer cells in two ways. First, we shape the beam of radiation such that it conforms as closely as possible to the shape of the tumor. We also treat from multiple different angles, with all beams converging on the tumor. Best Answer: The short answer is that they don't differentiate between cell types. This is why there are side effects. There are a variety of different mechanisms that the chemo meds employ, down-regulating certain proteins from being made, binding certain receptors to trigger cell death, etc. You hit it when you said the chemo meds mostly target rapidly dividing cells (or highly metabolically active cells.) And we're able to be relatively tissue specific too, so different drugs have affinities for different tissues. (That's why chemo for lung cancer and chemo for prostate cancer, for example, are very different protocols.) And the more we learn about how cancer cells work in the body, the more we're able to develop new tools to address them. How Cancer Stem Cells Thrive When Oxygen Is Scarce. 1  Mar. 28, 2016 — Working with human breast cancer cells and mice, scientists say new experiments explain how certain cancer stem cells thrive in low oxygen conditions. Proliferation of such cells, which tend to ... Two known chemotherapy agents effectively target breast cancer stem cells. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160502131417.htm. Two existing chemotherapy drugs appear to be a powerful pair in targeting errant stem cells that are making breast cancer and enabling its spread and recurrence, scientists report. Your source for the latest research news Most current chemotherapy does not kill the stem cells, which are the cells of origin, only the tumor mass, said Dr. Muthusamy Thangaraju, biochemist in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Medical College of Georgia and Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University. Features. 1  Book List. 2  Mods' Choice: Outstanding posts recognized by the mod team. 3  Weekly Features: Archives of AskAnything Wednesday, FAQ Fridays, and more! 4  FAQ: In-depth answers to many popular questions. 5  New and gilded posts. / 6 r/AskScienceDiscussion: For open-ended and hypothetical questions. Their work was done in mouse models of breast cancer, and findings held up in a human breast cancer cell line. The studies also provided more evidence -- at least in their animal models -- of why the stem cells are an important target. Normally, stem cells make progenitor cells, which make specific cells that comprise the breast. In this sense, the tumor is targeted geometrically - the radiation is aimed at the tumor, and not normal tissue. Secondly, cancer cells are more sensitive to radiation damage. Since they move through the cell cycle so rapidly, they are more likely to be in a specific, radiosensitive phase of cellular activity. Query: how does chemotherapy target cancer cells
Chemotherapy targets cancer cells through similar biological processes. For instance, early chemotherapy drugs attacked folate, which is a key component of cellular division. Since cancer cells divide more than normal cells, they are more greatly harmed by this drug.