Open AccessMutational characteristics determined using circulating tumor DNA analysis in triple‐negative breast cancer patients with distant metastasis
Author(s) -
Rong Guohua,
Yi Zongbi,
Ma Fei,
Guan Yanfang,
Xu Yaping,
Li Lifeng,
Xu Binghe
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
cancer communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.119
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 2523-3548
DOI - 10.1002/cac2.12102
Subject(s) - triple negative breast cancer , breast cancer , medicine , metastasis , metastatic breast cancer , oncology , malignancy , progesterone receptor , estrogen receptor , targeted therapy , cancer , lung cancer , cancer research
Dear editor, Breast cancer has been considered as the most commonmalignancy and the leading cause of death in women worldwide [1]. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 10%-20% of breast cancers, which are characterized by the absence of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) [2]. TNBC is well known for its rapid progressiveness, high rate of distant organ recurrence, and poor prognosis. Metastasis remains the major cause of death for patients with TNBCs. Up to date, the only direct treatment for metastatic TNBCs is chemotherapy, which has been challenged by tumor heterogeneity and drug resistance. Lack of effective targeted therapy for metastatic TNBCs impels researchers to focus on discovering potentially actionable targets through mutational profiling. Although next-generation sequencing (NGS) has shown valuable benefits in oncology, its use in metastatic TNBC demands attentions. On one hand, in view of cellular heterogeneity, the genomic profiles of tissue biopsies might not be representative for lethal tumors. There exists trauma, pain, and other safety issues when obtaining metastatic tissues in clinical practices, since metastatic TNBCs frequently involve distant organs including the liver, lungs, bones, or brain. Recently, circulating