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Clinicopathological characteristics of triple-negative breast cancers

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  • Symposium: Triple negative breast cancer
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Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is defined as a group of breast carcinomas that are negative for expression of hormone receptors and HER2. Although patients with TNBC tend to have a poor prognosis, only chemotherapy is expected to be effective because no therapeutic targets have yet been established. DNA microarray analyses have proved that TNBCs are composed of the basal-like subtype and normal breast (or unclassified) subtype, the former being correlated with an aggressive clinical course. Histological types of TNBCs are reported to be common with those of basal-like subtype, comprising high-grade invasive ductal carcinoma, no special type [solid-tubular carcinoma (or atypical medullary carcinoma), invasive ductal carcinoma with a large central acellular zone], typical medullary carcinoma, and metaplastic carcinomas. The basal-like subtype is characterized by the expression of myoepithelial/basal markers and molecular changes including TP53 gene mutations, BRCA1 inactivation, and many chromosomal alterations. New target molecules for the treatment of TNBCs are under extensive investigation, and their clinical application is awaited.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by a grant-in-aid for cancer research from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, Japan, and a research grant from the Princess Takamatsu Cancer Research Fund.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors indicate no conflict of interest in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pathology Section, Clinical Laboratory Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, 1-1-5 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Yuka Sasaki & Hitoshi Tsuda

  2. Department of Basic Pathology, National Defense Medical Collage, 3-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-0042, Japan

    Yuka Sasaki & Hitoshi Tsuda

  3. Department of Research and Laboratory, Japan Self Defense Forces Central Hospital, 1-2-24 Ikejiri, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 154-8532, Japan

    Yuka Sasaki

Authors
  1. Yuka Sasaki
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  2. Hitoshi Tsuda
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Correspondence to Yuka Sasaki.

Additional information

This article is based on a presentation delivered at Symposium 3, “Triple-negative breast cancer,” held on 27 September 2008 at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society in Osaka.

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Sasaki, Y., Tsuda, H. Clinicopathological characteristics of triple-negative breast cancers. Breast Cancer 16, 254–259 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-009-0153-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-009-0153-5

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