title: Signaling pathways in breast cancer: therapeutic targeting of the microenvironment.
abstract: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Understanding the biology of this malignant disease is a prerequisite for selecting an appropriate treatment. Cell cycle alterations are seen in many cancers, including breast cancer. Newly popular targeted agents in breast cancer include cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) which are agents inhibiting the function of cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) and agents targeting proto-oncogenic signaling pathways like Notch, Wnt, and SHH (Sonic hedgehog). CDKIs are categorized as selective and non-selective inhibitors of CDK. CDKIs have been tried as monotherapy and combination therapy. The CDKI Palbocyclib is now a promising therapeutic in breast cancer. This drug recently entered phase III trial for estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer after showing encouraging results in progression free survival in a phase II trials. The tumor microenvironment is now recognized as a significant factor in cancer treatment response. The tumor microenvironment is increasingly considered as a target for combination therapy of breast cancer. Recent findings in the signaling pathways in breast cancer are herein summarized and discussed. Furthermore, the therapeutic targeting of the microenvironment in breast cancer is also considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon. Electronic address: armel.nwabo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Armel Herve
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Nwabo Kamdje
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Paul Faustin
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Seke Etet
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cytometry, Institute of Molecular Genetics, CNR, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorella
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.affiliation: Université de Poitiers, Faculté des Sciences, Pôle Biologie-Santé Bât B36, 1, rue Georges Bonnet-BP633, 86022-Poitiers cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jean Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology, Stem Cell Research Laboratory, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krampera
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Room 4D30.5 Health Sciences Bldg, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK. S7N 5E5, Canada.
authors.forename: Kiven Erique
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Lukong
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002453:Cell Cycle; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones
keywords: Breast cancer; Chemo-resistance; Microenvironment; Signaling pathways; Targeted therapies