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Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model
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Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model

Published on: March 20, 2020

Triple-negative breast cancer: role of the androgen receptor

Ayca Gucalp1, Tiffany A Traina

  • 1Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY 10065, USA.

Cancer Journal (Sudbury, Mass.)
|February 19, 2010
PubMed

Insights

The androgen receptor (AR) plays a role in many breast cancers. Targeting AR may offer a new therapeutic strategy for aggressive triple-negative breast cancers lacking other receptor targets.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Androgen receptor (AR) is a steroid hormone receptor family member.
  • AR is expressed in over 70% of breast cancers, implicating it in pathogenesis.
  • AR is of particular interest in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative, progesterone receptor (PR)-negative, and HER2-negative breast cancers (approx. 25% of all breast cancers).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of AR in breast cancer tumorigenesis.
  • To discuss current progress in AR-targeted therapies.
  • To outline future directions for AR-targeted treatment strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on AR in breast cancer.
  • Analysis of current therapeutic approaches targeting AR.
  • Discussion of emerging evidence and future research avenues.

Main Results:

  • AR is implicated in the pathogenesis of a significant portion of breast cancers.
  • Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are generally aggressive and lack targeted endocrine therapies.
  • Emerging evidence suggests AR can be a therapeutic target in a subset of TNBC.

Conclusions:

  • AR plays a crucial role in breast cancer development and progression.
  • Targeting the AR pathway presents a promising therapeutic avenue for specific breast cancer subtypes, particularly TNBC.
  • Further research and clinical trials are needed to fully elucidate and leverage AR-targeted therapies for improved patient outcomes.

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