Over the last decade, our understanding of tumor heterogeneity and progression has steadily shifted from the traditional stochastic model, which postulated that all tumor cells have an equal probability of regrowing a malignancy, to a cancer stem cell (CSC) model in which recurrent and metastatic tumors are initiated by a subpopulation of cells with the ability to self-renew and differentiate. For many types of cancer, CSCs are thought to be responsible for metastasis, recurrence, and therapeutic resistance. Therefore, a better understanding of mechanisms underlying regulation of CSC’s stemness and biology will contribute toward development of more effective therapeutic approaches to eradicating cancer cells by targeting CSCs.

The purpose of this special issue is to provide a forum for high-quality research papers as well as review articles focusing on recent advances in CSC research. These articles will cover a range of topics that appeal to a broad readership. We therefore invite and encourage researchers to submit original relevant research articles and reviews that are not yet published or that are not currently under review by other journals.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Mechanisms in regulation of CSCs’ self-renewal
• Mechanisms and methods to dedifferentiate/reprogram cancer cells to CSCs
• Mechanisms and methods by which normal tissue stem cells are transdifferentiated into cancer cells and/or CSCs
• Cross-talk between microenvironments and CSCs
• miRNA in regulation of CSCs
• Epigenetics in regulation of CSCs
• Role of CSCs in cancer initiation, progression and metastasis
• Role of CSCs in therapeutic resistance