cells Review Advances in Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells within the Tumor Microenvironment: An Updated Review 1,2, , 1,2, 1,2, Kevin Dzobo * y , Dimakatso Alice Senthebane y, Chelene Ganz y, Nicholas Ekow Thomford 3,4 , Ambroise Wonkam 3 and Collet Dandara 3 1 International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Wernher and Beit Building (South), UCT Medical Campus, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa;
[email protected] (D.A.S.);
[email protected] (C.G.) 2 Division of Medical Biochemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa 3 Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology and Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa;
[email protected] (N.E.T.);
[email protected] (A.W.);
[email protected] (C.D.) 4 Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, PMB, Cape Coast, Ghana * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +27-842953708 These authors contributed equally to this work. y Received: 7 July 2020; Accepted: 11 August 2020; Published: 13 August 2020 Abstract: Despite great strides being achieved in improving cancer patients’ outcomes through better therapies and combinatorial treatment, several hurdles still remain due to therapy resistance, cancer recurrence and metastasis. Drug resistance culminating in relapse continues to be associated with fatal disease. The cancer stem cell theory posits that tumors are driven by specialized cancer cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs).