Abstract LT020: Cancer associated fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment maintain ovarian cancer stem cells through non-canonical Wnt5a signaling

Frequent relapse and development of chemoresistance are major causes of poor survival in ovarian cancer. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) consist of a small subpopulation in the tumor that are capable of initiation and maintenance. CSCs are typically resistant to cytotoxic chemotherapy and are a potential cause of relapse and chemoresistance. Most studies on CSCs focus on cancer cells alone while CSCs exist in a complex microenvironment in tumors. This...