Dynamic Cancer Cell Heterogeneity: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications

Though heterogeneity of cancers is recognized and has been much discussed in recent years, the concept often remains overlooked in different routine examinations. Indeed, in clinical or biological articles, reviews, and textbooks, cancers and cancer cells are generally presented as evolving distinct entities rather than as an independent heterogeneous cooperative cell population with its self-oriented biology. There are, therefore, conceptual gaps which can mislead the interpretations/diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In this short review, we wish to summarize and discuss various aspects of this dynamic evolving heterogeneity and its biological, pathological, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic implications, using thyroid carcinoma as an illustrative example.