title: Triple-negative breast cancer: investigating potential molecular therapeutic target.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) makes up about 10 - 20% of all breast cancers and the lack of hormone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2/Neu expression is responsible for poor prognosis, no targeted therapies and trouble in the clinical management. Tumor heterogeneity, also within the same tumor, is a major cause for this difficulty. Based on the introduction of new biological drugs against different kinds of tumor, many efforts have been made for classification of genetic alterations present in TNBC, leading to the identification of several oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes involved in breast cancer carcinogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this review we investigated the molecular alteration present in TNBC which could lead to the creation of new targeted therapies in the future, with the aim to counteract this disease in the most effective way.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this context some hormone receptors like G-protein-coupled receptor 30 and androgen receptors may be a fascinating area to investigate; also, angiogenesis, represented not only by the classical VEGF/VEGFR relationship, but also by other molecules, like semaphorins, fibroblast growth factor and heparin-binding-EGF-like, is a mechanism in which new developments are expected. In this perspective, one technique that may show promise is the gene therapy; in particular the gene transfer could correct abnormal genetic function in cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Oncology Unit - ICOT, Via Franco Faggiana, 1668, Department of medico-surgical sciences and biotechnologies , Latina , Italy +3907736513342 ; anselmo.papa@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Anselmo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: Silverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomao
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zaccarelli
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D009857:Oncogenes; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000378:metabolism; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011987:Receptors, Steroid
keywords: angiogenesis; hormone receptors; oncogene; target therapy; triple-negative breast cancer; tumor suppressor gene