Breast cancer is the most common
leading cause of cancer-related death in women world wide and it is a molecular
heterogeneous disease. The heterogeneous expression of hormone receptors such
as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2, has been used
to divide breast cancer patients into intrinsic subtypes based on the present
or absence of these hormone receptors.
It also helps guide judicious
treatment decisions in response to either hormonal therrapy, chemotherapy, or
radiation therapy. Hormonal
therapies such as tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors or any therapies that
target HER2 receptors line like Herceptin, are helpful in hormone
receptor-positive breast cancers, but not in patients whose tumors are hormone
receptor negative.
However, identification of
patients who might benefit from these treatments and who are at high risk of
reoccurrence and resistance after treatment need to improve.
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