title: Androgen Receptor Biology in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: a Case for Classification as AR+ or Quadruple Negative Disease.
abstract: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype that lacks estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification. Due to the absence of these receptors, TNBC does not respond to traditional endocrine or HER2-targeted therapies that improve patient prognosis in other breast cancer subtypes. TNBC has a poor prognosis, and currently, there are no effective targeted therapies. Some TNBC tumors express androgen receptor (AR) and may benefit from AR-targeted therapies. Here, we review the literature on AR in TNBC and propose that TNBC be further sub-classified as either AR+ TNBC or quadruple negative breast cancer since targeting AR may represent a viable therapeutic option for a subset of TNBC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, RC1 North P18-5127 Mail Stop 8104, 12800 E. 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80015, USA.
authors.forename: Valerie N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, RC1 North P18-5127 Mail Stop 8104, 12800 E. 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80015, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: D'Amato
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, RC1 North P18-5127 Mail Stop 8104, 12800 E. 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80015, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, RC1 North P18-5127 Mail Stop 8104, 12800 E. 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80015, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Christenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, RC1 North P18-5127 Mail Stop 8104, 12800 E. 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80015, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, RC1 North P18-5127 Mail Stop 8104, 12800 E. 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80015, USA. Jennifer.Richer@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Richer
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D059002:Androgen Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009154:Mutation; D021381:Protein Transport; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D059002:Androgen Receptor Antagonists; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006728:Hormones; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone