open access: Stem Cell-Like Gene Expression in Ovarian Cancer Predicts Type II Subtype and Prognosis

PLOS ONE

"..... Discussion
The cancer stem cell theory proposes that a subpopulation of cells inherit or acquire stem-like properties that enable them to survive therapy and drive recurrent tumor growth, but the function and identification of such stem cells is controversial both in normal and malignant ovarian and fallopian tube tissue [51]–[53]. We have not demonstrated the existence of cancer stem cells in ovarian cancer; instead our analysis identified a subtype of ovarian cancer with stem-like gene expression which provides a new molecular subtype classification of ovarian cancer, a genomic context for further investigation of type I/II ovarian cancers and insights into why ovarian cancer is so likely to be fatal despite aggressive therapy...........