(HealthDay News) Temozolomide, a standard treatment for brain cancer, may boost the aggressiveness of surviving cancer cells, making tumor recurrence more likely, a new study suggests.
The research team, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, have identified cells in brain tumors called gliomas that have stem cell-like qualities and are able to survive chemotherapy with the help of a particular protein. These surviving cells become drug-resistant, and may be the reason treatment for brain cancer is usually unsuccessful.

"Stem-like cells are found in brain tumors, and the mutations that occur in high-grade tumors promote the stem cell character of tumor cells," explained lead researcher Dr. Eric Holland, director of Sloan-Kettering's Brain Tumor Center. "Furthermore, the standard therapy for brain tumors -- although beneficial against many of the tumor cells -- actually promotes stem cell character in the cells that survive."

Read article at: http://health.usnews.com