title: Brain metastases of breast cancer.
abstract: Central nervous system or brain metastases traditionally occur in 10-16% of metastatic breast cancer patients and are associated with a dismal prognosis. The development of brain metastases has been associated with young age, and tumors that are estrogen receptor negative, Her-2+ or of the basal phenotype. Treatment typically includes whole brain irradiation, or either stereotactic radiosurgery or surgery with whole brain radiation, resulting in an approximately 20% one year survival. The blood-brain barrier is a formidable obstacle to the delivery of chemotherapeutics to the brain. Mouse experimental metastasis model systems have been developed for brain metastasis using selected sublines of human MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells. Using micron sized iron particles and MRI imaging, the fate of MDA-MB-231BR cells has been mapped: Approximately 2% of injected cells form larger macroscopic metastases, while 5% of cells remain as dormant cells in the brain. New therapies with permeability for the blood-brain barrier are needed to counteract both types of tumor cells.
authors.affiliation: Women's Cancers Section, Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: Quentin R
authors.initials: QR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lockman
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bronder
authors.forename: Brunilde
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gril
authors.forename: Ann F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.forename: Patricia S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Steeg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000556:secondary*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D015195:Drug Design; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases