In the present study, by combining clinical sample analyses with in vitro experiments, we characterized a niche harboring quiescent stem-like tumor cells of the SOX2+ HIF-1α+ RNApII-S2P-/low or NANOG+ HIF-1α+ RNApII-S2P-/low phenotypes, which are associated with an enhanced tumorigenic capacity. Here, SOX2 is linked to neoplasm.