Long Non-coding RNA and Cancer Stem Cells

Tumors contain a functional subpopulation of cells that exhibit characteristics of stem cells. This cell subgroup, named cancer stem cell (CSC), plays important roles in the initiation and progression of cancers. As a key regulator of the CSC subgroup, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has the important ability to induce self-renewal, migration, invasion, drug resistance and differentiation of CSC. This review summarizes recent research on the functions and mechanisms of lncRNA in the occurrence, maintenance and regulation of different CSC, with the aim of finding new targets for cancer treatment through lncRNA to selectively eliminate CSC and ultimately improve the prognosis of patients with cancer.