title: Updates in the treatment of basal/triple-negative breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is clinically characterized by the lack of expression of the estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. It is highly heterogeneous and exhibits considerable overlap with basal-like and BRCA-related breast cancers. Constituting 15-20% of breast cancers, TNBC exhibits an aggressive phenotype with a poor prognosis. This review summarizes recent progress and studies in TNBC and discusses some of the ongoing clinical trials and emerging therapies for the treatment of TNBC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy and DNA damaging agents continue to be the mainstay for treatment of this disease. The use of targeted agents such as bevacizumab, epidermal growth factor receptor and polyadenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase inhibitors have led to conflicting results. However, recent research has prompted evaluation of additional drugs targeting multiple signaling pathways and epigenetic modifications for the treatment of this disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TNBC remains a challenging disease to treat with recent trials having demonstrated only modest improvements in outcomes. Increased understanding of the heterogeneity of this complex subtype may help tailor therapies to specific patient subgroups.
authors.affiliation: Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Mythili
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shastry
authors.forename: Denise A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Yardley
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D003603:Cytotoxins; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone