Researchers use new technique to create cancer stem cells

Palo Alto, Calif.

- Stanford researchers have genetically manipulated normal skin cells into cancer stem cells, making them easier to study, ScienceDaily reports.

The naturally rare cancer stem cells are believed to drive cancer, and are targeted during cancer therapy. However, because of their rarity, difficulty isolating and poor lab growth, they have eluded scientists, according to ScienceDaily.

The study also found cancer stem cells to be similar to stem cells found in embryos, which can develop into all tissue types, compared to adult stem cells. Generating these cancer stem cells in the lab could lead to treatments that either stop the cell transformation early or destroy them once they form.