Immunotherapy: Review of the Existing Evidence and Challenges in Breast Cancer

Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jan 17;15(3):563. doi: 10.3390/cancers15030563.

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is a representative malignant tumor that affects women across the world, and it is the main cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Although a large number of treatment methods have been developed for BC in recent years, the results are sometimes unsatisfying. In recent years, treatments of BC have been expanded with immunotherapy. In our article, we list some tumor markers related to immunotherapy for BC. Moreover, we introduce the existing relatively mature immunotherapy and the markers' pathogenesis are involved. The combination of immunotherapy and other therapies for BC are introduced in detail, including the combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, the combined use of immunosuppressants and chemotherapy drugs, immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy. We summarize the clinical effects of these methods. In addition, this paper also makes a preliminary exploration of the combination of immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and nanotechnology for BC.

Keywords: PD-1/PD-L1; breast cancer; immunotherapy; monoclonal antibodies.

Publication types

  • Review