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Updated: Jul 18, 2025
Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model
Published on: March 20, 2020
Challenges and Opportunities in Developing Targeted Therapies for Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Abygail G Chapdelaine1, Gongqin Sun1
1Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
Abstract:
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous group of breast cancers characterized by their lack of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and the HER2 receptor. They are more aggressive than other breast cancer subtypes, with a higher mean tumor size, higher tumor grade, the worst five-year overall survival, and the highest rates of recurrence and metastasis. Developing targeted therapies for TNBC has been a major challenge due to its heterogeneity, and its treatment still largely relies on surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. In this review article, we review the efforts in developing targeted therapies for TNBC, discuss insights gained from these efforts, and highlight potential opportunities going forward. Accumulating evidence supports TNBCs as multi-driver cancers, in which multiple oncogenic drivers promote cell proliferation and survival. In such multi-driver cancers, targeted therapies would require drug combinations that simultaneously block multiple oncogenic drivers. A strategy designed to generate mechanism-based combination targeted therapies for TNBC is discussed.
Insights
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is aggressive and hard to treat. Developing targeted therapies requires understanding TNBC as a multi-driver cancer and using drug combinations to block multiple oncogenic drivers.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cancer Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer subtype lacking estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2.
- TNBC exhibits higher tumor grade, larger size, and poorer survival rates compared to other breast cancers.
- Current TNBC treatments rely on surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, with limited targeted therapy options due to its heterogeneity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the development of targeted therapies for TNBC.
- To discuss insights from past targeted therapy efforts.
- To highlight future opportunities for TNBC treatment strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on TNBC targeted therapies.
- Analysis of TNBC heterogeneity and its implications for treatment.
- Discussion of multi-driver cancer models and combination therapy strategies.
Main Results:
- TNBC is characterized by significant heterogeneity, posing challenges for targeted drug development.
- Evidence suggests TNBC is a multi-driver cancer, necessitating simultaneous targeting of multiple oncogenic pathways.
- Combination targeted therapies are crucial for effectively treating TNBC.
Conclusions:
- Developing effective targeted therapies for TNBC requires addressing its multi-driver nature.
- Mechanism-based combination targeted therapies offer a promising strategy for future TNBC treatment.
- Further research into drug combinations is essential to improve outcomes for triple negative breast cancer patients.
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