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Updated: May 16, 2026
Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model
Published on: March 20, 2020
Updates in the treatment of basal/triple-negative breast cancer
Mythili Shastry1, Denise A Yardley
1Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Purpose Of Review:
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is clinically characterized by the lack of expression of the estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. It is highly heterogeneous and exhibits considerable overlap with basal-like and BRCA-related breast cancers. Constituting 15-20% of breast cancers, TNBC exhibits an aggressive phenotype with a poor prognosis. This review summarizes recent progress and studies in TNBC and discusses some of the ongoing clinical trials and emerging therapies for the treatment of TNBC.
Recent Findings:
Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy and DNA damaging agents continue to be the mainstay for treatment of this disease. The use of targeted agents such as bevacizumab, epidermal growth factor receptor and polyadenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase inhibitors have led to conflicting results. However, recent research has prompted evaluation of additional drugs targeting multiple signaling pathways and epigenetic modifications for the treatment of this disease.
Summary:
TNBC remains a challenging disease to treat with recent trials having demonstrated only modest improvements in outcomes. Increased understanding of the heterogeneity of this complex subtype may help tailor therapies to specific patient subgroups.
Insights
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a challenging disease. While conventional chemotherapy remains standard, emerging targeted therapies show mixed results, necessitating further research into personalized treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks estrogen/progesterone receptors and HER2, representing 15-20% of breast cancers.
- TNBC is highly heterogeneous, overlapping with basal-like and BRCA-related cancers, and characterized by an aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements and studies in triple-negative breast cancer.
- To discuss ongoing clinical trials and novel therapeutic strategies for TNBC treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent progress in TNBC research.
- Analysis of current clinical trials and emerging therapies.
Main Results:
- Conventional chemotherapy and DNA damaging agents are the primary treatments for TNBC.
- Targeted agents like bevacizumab, EGFR inhibitors, and PARP inhibitors have yielded conflicting outcomes.
- New research focuses on drugs targeting multiple signaling pathways and epigenetic modifications.
Conclusions:
- TNBC remains difficult to treat, with recent trials showing only marginal improvements.
- Understanding TNBC heterogeneity is crucial for tailoring therapies to specific patient subgroups.
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