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Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model
Published on: March 20, 2020
Potential therapeutic targets of triple-negative breast cancer based on its intrinsic subtype
Fangyuan Shao1, Heng Sun1, Chu-Xia Deng1
1Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
Abstract:
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subgroup of human breast cancer, which is characterized as estrogen receptor (ER) negative, progesterone receptor (PR) negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative. TNBC is the most difficult breast cancer subgroup to treat, due to its unresponsiveness to current clinical targeted therapies, high rate of recurrence, and poor prognosis. Thus, there is an urgent medical need to identify therapeutic targets and develop more effective stratified medicine for the treatment of TNBC. Here we review the potential therapeutic targets for TNBC based on its intrinsic subtype. We also review the aberrant activated signals found in different subgroups of TNBC, including androgen receptor (AR) and PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, Hedge-hog, and TGF-β signaling pathways, which play essential roles in multiple development stages of TNBC. The careful analysis of these signaling pathways and therapeutic targets would have significant impact on the drug development and clinical trials, leading to effective therapies for this deadly disease.
Insights
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is aggressive and hard to treat. Identifying new therapeutic targets and understanding signaling pathways like AR and PI3K/AKT/mTOR are crucial for developing effective TNBC treatments.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Therapeutics
Background:
- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks targeted therapies due to negative estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2 expression.
- TNBC presents significant clinical challenges, including treatment resistance, high recurrence rates, and poor patient outcomes.
- There is a critical need for novel therapeutic strategies and personalized medicine approaches for TNBC management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review potential therapeutic targets for TNBC based on its intrinsic subtypes.
- To explore aberrant signaling pathways implicated in TNBC development and progression.
- To highlight the importance of analyzing these pathways for future drug development and clinical trials.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current research on TNBC.
- Analysis of intrinsic TNBC subtypes and their associated molecular characteristics.
- Identification and summary of key signaling pathways dysregulated in TNBC.
Main Results:
- TNBC exhibits diverse intrinsic subtypes, each with unique molecular vulnerabilities.
- Aberrant activation of signaling pathways including androgen receptor (AR), PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, Hedgehog, and TGF-β is observed in TNBC.
- These pathways are critical regulators of TNBC cell growth, survival, and metastasis.
Conclusions:
- Targeting specific signaling pathways and molecular subtypes holds promise for effective TNBC therapy.
- Understanding the complex signaling networks in TNBC is essential for advancing stratified medicine.
- Further research into these therapeutic targets and pathways will significantly impact TNBC drug development and clinical trial design.
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