0000000000652615
AUTHOR
M. Notarbartolo Di Villarosa
Preclinical models in oncological pharmacology: limits and advantages
A wide range of experimental tumor models, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages, is nowadays available. Due to the inherent differences in their complexity and functionality, the choice of the model is usually dependent on the application. Thus, to advance specific knowledge, one has to choose and use appropriate models, which complexity is largely dependent on the hypotheses to test, that is on the objectives. Whatever the model chosen, the complexity of cancer is such that none of them will be able to fully represent it. In vitro tumor models have provided important tools for cancer research and still serve as low-cost screening platforms for drugs. The improved understanding o…
NF-κB is a potential pharmacological target in triple negative breast cancers.
Triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs), characterized by lack of estrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptors, are a highly heterogenous group of tumors which account for about 20% to 25% of all breast cancers. TNBCs are often associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and a high propensity for early metastasis. Since no molecularly-targeted therapeutic agents are clinically available for TNBCs, these tumors, which are frequently resistant to cytotoxic chemotherapy, remain difficult to treat. Nevertheless, progress is being made in the finding of molecular alterations typical of TNBCs toward which to focus therapeutic efforts.