CD44 and breast carcinoma: Considering the involvement of lncRNA NEAT1 in the maintenance of CD24-CD44+ CSC population in breast cancer cells 17 and in the enhancement of the radioresistance of cervical cancer cells 18, we next hypothesized that the expression of NEAT1 could be upregulated in radioresistant 231-RR cells, possibly leading to the increased CSC activity followed by redioresistance.