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Cellular and Molecular Biology

Cancer-inducing niche: the force of chronic inflammation

British Journal of Cancer volume 127, pages 193–201 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

The growth of cancer tissue is thought to be considered driven by a small subpopulation of cells, so-called cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are located at the apex of a hierarchy in a cancer tissue with self-renewal, differentiation and tumorigenic potential that produce the progeny in the tissue. Although CSCs are generally believed to play a critical role in the growth, metastasis, and recurrence of cancers, the origin of CSCs remains to be reconsidered. We hypothesise that, chronic diseases, including obesity and diabetes, establish the cancer-inducing niche (CIN) that drives the undifferentiated/progenitor cells into CSCs, which then develop malignant tumours in vivo. In this context, a CIN could be traced to chronic inflammation that involves long-lasting tissue damage and repair after being exposed to factors such as cytokines and growth factors. This must be distinguished from the cancer microenvironment, which is responsible for cancer maintenance. The concept of a CIN is most important for cancer prevention as well as cancer therapy.

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Fig. 1: An overview of the cancer initiation and development.
Fig. 2: Schematic drawing of the development of Cancer-inducing niche and stem cell alternation.
Fig. 3: Schematic drawing of inflammatory microenvironment in the liver depicting the immune responses of different cells.
Fig. 4: Scheme of cancer initiation from inflammation in pancreas.
Fig. 5: Ovarian cancer-inducing niches.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan

    Said M. Afify, Ghmkin Hassan, Akimasa Seno & Masaharu Seno

  2. Division of Biochemistry, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El Koum-Menoufia, 32511, Egypt

    Said M. Afify

  3. Okayama University Research Laboratory of Stem Cell Engineering in Detroit, IBio, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

    Akimasa Seno & Masaharu Seno

Authors
  1. Said M. Afify
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  2. Ghmkin Hassan
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  3. Akimasa Seno
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  4. Masaharu Seno
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MS and SMA developed the concept and performed the literature. SMA wrote the manuscript. GH and AS assisted in collecting the draft. MS and SMA revised the final manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Said M. Afify or Masaharu Seno.

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Afify, S.M., Hassan, G., Seno, A. et al. Cancer-inducing niche: the force of chronic inflammation. Br J Cancer 127, 193–201 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-022-01775-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-022-01775-w

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