A pharmaceutical composition to treat a solid tumor comprising a population of tumor-propagating cells with stem-like characteristics (TPCs) in a subject comprising a therapeutic amount of a therapeutic agent and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the therapeutic agent is a peptide derivative of Wnt5a,
- wherein the therapeutic amount of the therapeutic agent is effective
- (1) to reduce tumor growth, migration, invasion or a combination thereof relative to a control by affecting a level of expression of Wnt5a;
- and
- (2) to increase survival of the subject relative to a control.