Open AccessThe importance of androgen receptors in breast cancer
Author(s) -
Iriiță,
Cornelia Niţipir,
S. Toma,
Alexandra Maria Limbău,
Edvina Elena Pîrvu,
Ioana Anca Bădărău
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
medicine and pharmacy reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.35
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 2668-0572
pISSN - 2602-0807
DOI - 10.15386/mpr-1842
Subject(s) - androgen receptor , receptor , breast cancer , androgen , cancer , oncology , medicine , cancer research , prostate cancer , hormone
Background and aim. Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in females. For the breast malignant tumors there are numerous targeted therapies, depending on the receptors expressed. Regulating the process of epithelial-mesenchyme transcription, the steroid nuclear receptors are important in invasion and progression of BC cells. Till now, it is known that androgen receptor (AR) is present in about 60-80% of BC cells but, unfortunately, there is no targeted therapy available yet.
Methods. We revised the recent literature that included the AR mechanism of action in patients diagnosed with breast cancer, the preclinical, retrospective and clinical studies and the aspects related to the prognosis of these patients, depending on the molecular subtype.
Results. A total of 12 articles were eligible for this review. AR positivity was assessed using immunohistochemistry. Herein, neither 1 nor 10% cut-points were robustly prognostic. AR was an independent prognostic marker of BC outcome, especially in triple negative BC group.
Conclusion. AR is a potential targeted pathway which can improve the prognostic of AR positive patients with BC. Further preclinical and clinical studies are necessary to clarify the mechanism of action and to establish the drugs which can be used, either alone or in combination.