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Precision oncology for breast cancer through clinical trials

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Abstract

Precision treatment for breast cancers has made several notable advances in recent decades, but challenges of tumor heterogeneity, drug resistance, and aggressive recurrence and metastases remain. To meet and overcome these challenges, we must refine our understanding of breast subtypes and treatment biomarkers according to the knowledge afforded across the spectrum of ‘omics assays. A critical aspect of harnessing this knowledge into actionable biomarkers for treatment decision relies on our ability to integrate knowledge across data types and leverage our insight in evidence-based clinical trials. We review recent advances in cutting-edge clinical trials for precision treatment of breast cancer, including chemotherapies, targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and combination therapies. We comment on promising future areas of development for this exciting point in precision breast cancer research.

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Abbreviations

AKT1:

AKT serine/threonine kinase 1

ATM:

Ataxia telangiesctasia mutated serine/threonine kinase

ATR:

Ataxia telangiesctasia and rad3-related protein

BRCA1:

BRCA1 DNA repair associated

BRCA2:

BRCA2 DNA repair associated

CHK1:

Checkpoint kinase 1

CHK2:

Checkpoint kinase 2

CLIA:

Clinical laboratory improvement act

ctDNA:

Circulating tumor DNA

ER:

Estrogen receptor 1

HR+:

Hormone receptor positive

HER2:

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2

MSI:

Microsatellite instability

PARP1:

Poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerase

PTEN:

Phosphatase and tensin homolog

TNBC:

Triple negative breast cancer

WEE1:

WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon, USA

    Aurora S. Blucher, Gordon B. Mills & Yiu Huen Tsang

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  1. Aurora S. Blucher
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Correspondence to Yiu Huen Tsang.

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Presented at the 8th International Cancer Metastasis Congress in San Francisco, CA, USA from October 25–27, 2019 (http://www.cancermetastasis.org). To be published in an upcoming Special Issue of Clinical and Experimental Metastasis: Novel Frontiers in Cancer Metastasis.

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Blucher, A.S., Mills, G.B. & Tsang, Y.H. Precision oncology for breast cancer through clinical trials. Clin Exp Metastasis 39, 71–78 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10585-021-10092-0

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