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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model
Published on: March 20, 2020
Triple-negative breast cancer: present challenges and new perspectives
Franca Podo1, Lutgarde M C Buydens, Hadassa Degani
1Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. franca.podo@iss.it
Abstract:
Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC), characterized by absence of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and lack of overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), are typically associated with poor prognosis, due to aggressive tumor phenotype(s), only partial response to chemotherapy and present lack of clinically established targeted therapies. Advances in the design of individualized strategies for treatment of TNBC patients require further elucidation, by combined 'omics' approaches, of the molecular mechanisms underlying TNBC phenotypic heterogeneity, and the still poorly understood association of TNBC with BRCA1 mutations. An overview is here presented on TNBC profiling in terms of expression signatures, within the functional genomic breast tumor classification, and ongoing efforts toward identification of new therapy targets and bioimaging markers. Due to the complexity of aberrant molecular patterns involved in expression, pathological progression and biological/clinical heterogeneity, the search for novel TNBC biomarkers and therapy targets requires collection of multi-dimensional data sets, use of robust multivariate data analysis techniques and development of innovative systems biology approaches.
Insights
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks targeted therapies and has a poor prognosis. Further research using multi-omics approaches is needed to understand TNBC heterogeneity and identify new therapeutic targets and biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a significant clinical challenge due to its aggressive nature, limited treatment options, and poor patient outcomes.
- The absence of estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), and HER2 overexpression defines TNBC, contributing to its distinct biological behavior and therapeutic resistance.
- Understanding the molecular drivers of TNBC heterogeneity and its association with BRCA1 mutations is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of TNBC profiling, including expression signatures within functional genomic classifications.
- To highlight ongoing efforts in identifying novel therapeutic targets and bioimaging markers for TNBC.
- To emphasize the need for advanced analytical approaches to decipher TNBC complexity.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on TNBC molecular profiling and expression signatures.
- Analysis of combined 'omics' data to understand TNBC heterogeneity.
- Exploration of systems biology approaches for biomarker and target discovery.
Main Results:
- TNBC is characterized by complex aberrant molecular patterns contributing to its heterogeneity and aggressive progression.
- Current research focuses on expression signatures and functional genomic classification for TNBC.
- Identification of potential new therapy targets and bioimaging markers is an active area of investigation.
Conclusions:
- Advances in individualized TNBC treatment require a deeper understanding of molecular mechanisms, particularly phenotypic heterogeneity and BRCA1 mutation links.
- The complexity of TNBC necessitates multi-dimensional data collection and robust multivariate analysis.
- Innovative systems biology approaches are essential for discovering novel TNBC biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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