title: Triple-negative breast cancer: new perspectives for targeted therapies.
abstract: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, encompassing a large number of entities showing different morphological features and having clinical behaviors. It has became apparent that this diversity may be justified by distinct patterns of genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic aberrations. The identification of gene-expression microarray-based characteristics has led to the identification of at least five breast cancer subgroups: luminal A, luminal B, normal breast-like, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and basal-like. Triple-negative breast cancer is a complex disease diagnosed by immunohistochemistry, and it is characterized by malignant cells not expressing estrogen receptors or progesterone receptors at all, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Along with this knowledge, recent data show that triple-negative breast cancer has specific molecular features that could be possible targets for new biological targeted drugs. The aim of this article is to explore the use of new drugs in this particular setting, which is still associated with poor prognosis and high risk of distant recurrence and death.
authors: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico "Umberto I", Rome, Italy.
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Tomao
authors: Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Oncology Unit, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Latina, Italy.
authors: Anselmo
authors: A
authors: Papa
authors: Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Oncology Unit, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Latina, Italy.
authors: Eleonora
authors: E
authors: Zaccarelli
authors: Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Oncology Unit, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Latina, Italy.
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Rossi
authors: Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Oncology Unit, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Latina, Italy.
authors: Davide
authors: D
authors: Caruso
authors: Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Oncology Unit, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Latina, Italy.
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Minozzi
authors: Division of Medical Oncology B, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors: Patrizia
authors: P
authors: Vici
authors: Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico "Umberto I", Rome, Italy.
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Frati
authors: Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Oncology Unit, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Latina, Italy.
authors: Silverio
authors: S
authors: Tomao
keywords: basal-like breast cancer; chemotherapy; estrogen–progesterone receptors; gene-expression microarray; human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; target therapy
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