Biological therapy of breast cancer: recent clinical applications.
Advances have been made in breast cancer therapy, in both the adjuvant and metastatic settings. For example, in the adjuvant setting, genomic studies of breast cancer tissues have identified women with estrogen receptor-positive tumors who might not require chemotherapy, leading to the development of a diagnostic tool. There have also been significant developments with anticancer agents that target tumor cell surface receptors, such as HER2/neu, and those involved in angiogenesis and kinase-dependent pathways. New areas of research focus on the concept of breast cancer stem cells as well as the prognostic importance of bone marrow micrometastases in early-stage breast cancer. This review summarizes these advances in breast cancer clinical research.
Case Western Reserve University, Ireland Cancer Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44011, USA. joseph.baar@uhhospitals.org
Joseph
J
Baar
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000628:therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A