Molecular biology of breast cancer

RESUMEN

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ABSTRACT

Although Breast Cancer (BC) has been considered formany years as a single entity with a common managementand treatment, it is actually a extremely heterogeneousdisease which includes at least 4 or 5very different subtypes. The first step in the recognitionof the heterogeneity of BC was the demonstrationof the presence of functional hormonal receptors(HR) in nearly two thirds of breast cancer specimens.This finding, which established a first classification ofBC in two clear subtypes (HR-positive and HR-negative)was followed by the demonstration of many otherdifferential features. The her2/neu gene alteration,present in nearly 20% of BC tumors, is probably themost relevant of them, but certainly not the only one.The development of new technologies and, in particular,the use of complementary DNA (cDNA) microarrayswill allow us now the simultaneous analysisof thousands of genes and the establishment ofnew, more refined BC subtypes based on gene expressionprofiles/genetic fingerprints.This review discusses the practical applications ofmolecular analysis of BC, which can be classified infour categories1. Establishment of a new molecular taxonomy ofbreast cancer.2. Definition of prognostic factors/prognostic indexesbased on molecular/genetic peculiarities.3. Prediction of response to diverse antitumoral treatments.4. Identification of molecular targets that allows thedevelopment of new tailored antitumor treatments