Breast
Breast cancer is split into noninvasive and invasive types. The three main clinical subtypes of breast cancer are hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-positive and triple-negative.
Breast cancer is split into noninvasive and invasive types. Noninvasive forms in the breast ducts, does not spread outside of the breast and can usually be diagnosed using a mammogram. Invasive can transform into metastatic breast cancer by spreading to other areas of the body, usually through the bloodstream or lymph nodes.
The three main clinical subtypes of breast cancer are hormone-receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive and triple-negative. HR-positive cancers contain the estrogen receptor and/or progesterone receptor and grow in response to these hormones. HER2-positive cancers have high amounts of HER2 protein. Triple-negative cancers do not contain estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors or HER2 protein.
The current standard screening method to detect breast cancer is mammographic screening, however mammograms have limited sensitivity, meaning some cancers go undetected. There is also a risk of overtreatment for cancer that isn’t clinically relevant. Due to these limitations, more advanced screening and diagnostic methods are necessary.
Available treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapy. Often, a combination of these treatments is used, depending on factors including stage and grade of the tumor, the patient’s health and age.
The field of breast cancer is constantly evolving as we move towards the precision medicine era. For example, novel combination therapies are being investigated, artificial intelligence and liquid biopsies are being integrated into the clinic, and new subtypes are being discovered.
The more we learn about the subtypes, their behavior and potential treatment avenues, the more information we have available to guide treatment decisions.
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