大肠癌干细胞是大肠癌中具有干细胞性质的细胞群体，在肿瘤组织中占很少部分。肿瘤干细胞具有自我更新的能力，是恶性肿瘤难以治愈的重要根源，在肿瘤的发生、恶化、复发转移及放射化学治疗抵抗中起关键作用。中医药在对抗恶性肿瘤中的特色与优势在长期的临床实践中得到证实，而近几年随着对大肠癌干细胞理论认识的深入，中药复方、单味中药及中药有效成分的临床及基础研究成为热点。

Colorectal cancer stem cells are a small part of cell population with features of stem cell in the colorectal cancer tissues. Tumor stem cells have the self-renewal capability and have been considered as the root of tumor recurrence. They play an important role in the development, progression, relapse, metastasis, and resistance to chemoradiotherapy of tumors. The long-term clinical practice has proved that traditional Chinese medicine has particular
advantage on the aspect of resisting tumor recurrence and metastasis. In recent years, with the deep understanding of the theory of colorectal cancer stem
cells, the clinical and basic researches of traditional Chinese medicine compound, single herb and active ingredient become hot spots.