Insights into Molecular Classifications of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Improving Patient Selection for Treatment

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains the most challenging breast cancer subtype to treat. To date, therapies directed to specific molecular targets have rarely achieved clinically meaningful improvements in outcomes of patients with TNBC, and chemotherapy remains the standard-of-care. Here we seek to review the most recent efforts to classify TNBC based on comprehensive profiling of tumors for cellular composition and molecular features. Technological advances allow for tumor characterization at ever increasing depth, generating data that, if integrated with clinical-pathologic features, may help improve risk stratification of patients, guide treatment decisions and surveillance, and help identify new targets for drug development.