Publication Name	World Journal of Stem Cells
Manuscript ID	117426
Country	China

Category	Cell Biology
Manuscript Type	Editorial
Article Title	Mediator complex subunit 18: A novel breast cancer stem cell marker in tumor microenvironment
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Ying-Zhu Zhang and Yi-Gang Wang
Funding Agency and Grant Number	Funding Agency Grant Number Joint Fund of Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China Under Grant LKLY25H160002
Corresponding Author	Yi-Gang Wang, Professor, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, No. 2 Avenue, Xiasha District, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China. wangyigang43@163.com
Key Words	Breast cancer; Cancer cell marker; Mediator complex subunit 18; Therapeutic target; Breast cancer stem cell
Core Tip	Breast cancer exhibits a tendency toward drug resistance and recurrence due to the presence of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). Therefore, the screening and validation of breast cancer biomarkers are crucial for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Mediator complex subunit 18 has emerged as a novel BCSC biomarker, positioned at the intersection of BCSC regulation and tumor microenvironment interactions. Although its identification demonstrates promising diagnostic and therapeutic potential, further mechanism validation through in vitro and in vivo studies is required to translate mediator complex subunit 18 from a biomarker into a clinically actionable target.
Citation	Zhang YZ, Wang YG. Mediator complex subunit 18: A novel breast cancer stem cell marker in tumor microenvironment. World J Stem Cells 2026; In press

Received	2025-12-08 06:13
Peer-Review Started	2025-12-08 10:04
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2025-12-19 08:07
Return for Revision	2025-12-19 08:07
Revised	2026-01-01 06:38
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-02-11 02:36
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-02-11 10:05
Articles in Press	2026-02-11 10:05
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	1948-0210 (online)
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