Based on our results that TEM8 was preferentially expressed in ALDH+ BTICs and that TEM8 expression was positively correlated with five ALDH family members (ALDH1A1/1A2/1A3/1B1/2) (Supplementary Fig. 4a–c), which were stem cell markers in BC and responsible for ALDH enzyme activity in TNBC13,22,23, we evaluated the expression of TEM8 in ALDH+ BTICs. This evidence concerns the gene ALDH1A1 and breast cancer.