title: Molecular pathways: PI3K pathway targets in triple-negative breast cancers.
abstract: The triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype, defined clinically by the lack of estrogen, progesterone, and Her2 receptor expression, accounts for 10% to 15% of annual breast cancer diagnoses. Currently, limited therapeutic options have shown clinical benefit beyond cytotoxic chemotherapy. Defining this clinical cohort and identifying subtype-specific molecular targets remain critical for new therapeutic development. The current era of high-throughput molecular analysis has revealed new insights into these targets and confirmed the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) as a key player in pathogenesis. The improved knowledge of the molecular basis of TNBC in parallel with efforts to develop new PI3K pathway-specific inhibitors may finally produce the therapeutic breakthrough that is desperately needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, CancerCare Manitoba, Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Vallerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Shantanu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerji
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases