Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is the most malignant subtype of breast cancer (BC), accounts for 10%–20% of all BC cases. TNBC, which occurs more frequently in young women, is characterized by high rates of cell proliferation and metastasis and poor prognosis. Chemotherapy is the primary systemic therapeutic strategy for TNBC. However, chemotherapy is largely unsuccessful, and effective targeted therapies for TNBC have not been established. Therefore, it is a matter of great urgency to identify precise molecular targets for the promising prognosis of patients with TNBC. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), which are a type of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), are abundantly expressed in the eukaryotic cells and exhibit diverse cellular functions. The roles of circRNAs are to sponge microRNA or RNA-binding proteins, regulate gene expression, and serve as templates for translation. Here, we review the current findings on the potential of circRNAs as a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarker for TNBC. However, further studies are essential to elucidate the functions of circRNAs in TNBC. This review also discusses the current limitations and future directions of TNBC-associated circRNAs, which can facilitate the translation of experimental research into clinical application.
Highlights
Breast cancer (BC) is a threat to human health, as it is associated with a high mortality rate
As for efficacy, among the 27 patients treated with pembrolizumab, the overall response rate (ORR) was 18.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.3%), the median progression-free survival was 1.9 months, and the median overall survival was 10.2 months
This study shows that pembrolizumab every 2 weeks is effective and safe for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) after receiving multiple-line therapy
Summary
Breast cancer (BC) is a threat to human health, as it is associated with a high mortality rate. TNBC exhibit poor survival rates owing to the metastatic properties of the tumor. The carcinogenesis of TNBC is a complex process that involves genetic mutations and dysregulation of epigenetic pathways. Previous studies have examined the epigenetic changes (such as DNA methylation11,12), non-coding RNA (ncRNA) profile,[13,14] and somatic mutation profile in TNBC.[15,16] ncRNA LOC339535 (commonly referred to as LINK-A), which is involved in the carcinogenesis of TNBC, is associated with poor prognosis and progression-free survival in patients with TNBC.[17] the dysregulation of various ncRNAs, including microRNAs and long-ncRNAs (lncRNAs), contributes to tumorigenesis and tumor progression.[13,14] the therapeutic potential of targeting ncRNAs has piqued the interest of the scientific community.
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