Using nanobodies for breast cancer treatment

Despite recent advancements in breast cancer management, it remains the most common malignancy among women worldwide and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Therefore, there is considerable room for improvement in diagnostics, therapeutics, and research related to breast cancer. Although chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, and targeted therapies for estrogen receptor-positive, progesterone receptor-positive, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancers remain the standard treatments, numerous new therapeutic targets and treatment modalities are emerging. Since their discovery, nanobodies have attracted significant attention in biomedical science as research tools, diagnostic agents, and therapeutic molecules. While many studies have explored nanobodies, this mini review focuses on recent advancements in their application to breast cancer therapy. Specifically, we examine nanobody-based strategies for targeting uniquely expressed molecules in breast cancer, modulating immune responses, and facilitating nanobody-drug delivery systems, as well as how nanobodies can help overcome the limitations of current treatments. We also discuss the challenges hindering their rapid traslation into clinical practice. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Despite substantial therapeutic progress in recent decades, it continues to pose a major global health challenge. Therefore, translating novel therapeutic modalities from the laboratory to clinical settings is critically needed.