Triple-negative/basal-like breast cancer: clinical, pathologic and molecular features.
Review of the spectrum of breast cancer tumor subtypes, which include basal-like, triple-negative and BRCA1-positive tumors, suggest that they have overlapping clinical, pathologic and molecular features, which are different from endocrine responsive breast cancers. Although response to chemotherapy is high in the neoadjuvant setting, the overall prognosis of this subset of tumors remains poor. Gene-profiling studies of this heterogeneous subset have lead to a better understanding of the molecular pathology of these aggressive tumors and the identification of possible therapeutic targets. Ongoing clinical studies of newer targeted agents, along with optimal chemotherapy, portend an improved clinical outcome for patients with aggressive basal-like/triple-negative breast cancer in the future.
Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, Ipswich, Suffolk, UK. drvramachandran@gmail.com
Ramachandran
R
Venkitaraman
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D006801:Humans; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012307:Risk Factors
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone