What Is Triple-negative Breast Cancer And Its Treatment?
Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for approximately 15% of the incidence of all breast cancers. When it comes to triple-negative breast cancer, the tumor cells do not express three proteins, defined as estrogen receptors, progestin receptors, and the HER2 protein. The absence of these proteins in the cells that make up the tumor limits the possibilities of treatment because they do not have a specific target to combat.
According to the American Cancer Society, considering breast cancer or triple-negative breast cancer is aggressive cancer. Because it spreads more quickly through the woman’s body, it also characterized this type of cancer by being more likely to come back after treatment.
How Is It Treated?
Currently, the management of this type of tumor requires chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. However, this general management does not ensure long-term efficacy to prevent recurrence of the disease. In recent years, IMMUNOTHERAPY has been considered the fourth pillar of cancer treatment in general. When combined with conventional treatments, this type of therapy has several advantages, such as fewer adverse effects and long-lasting responses favored by the immune system.
Why Is Immunotherapy So Effective In Triple-negative Breast Cancer?
One of the most innovative immunotherapy strategies is part of the concept of personalized medicine. This strategy focuses on the characterization of each patient’s tumor and on the treatment design that includes the tumor’s mutations with the use of immune cells from each patient. It can favor the activation of the immune system in the long term.
In Colombia, the health of the Andes Foundation, together with its Research Group in Immunology and Clinical Oncology, is carrying out two-phase I / II clinical studies about the safety and the effect on the immune system of patients with triple-negative breast cancer are evaluated. When stimulated, their dendritic cells with specific fragments of each patient’s tumor are transferred to them, known as personalized medicine.
