A Review of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Systemic Treatment

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease that does not express the estrogen/progesterone-receptor (ER/PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). TNBC is characterized as more aggressive and less responsive to standard treatment and associated with overall poorer prognosis. Chemotherapy is the choice of systemic therapy for triple-negative tumors. This review describes the most recent data on targeted therapies that have demonstrated efficacy in the management of TNBC. The monotherapy will be efficacious in all patients with TNBC. The most effective treatment approach for these patients is likely to be a combination of targeted therapies with cytotoxic agents. Identification of molecular targets and tailored treatments based on the molecular alterations in individual cancers hold the best promise for improving the outcomes of this aggressive breast cancer.