miRNA Expression Profiles in Luminal A Breast Cancer-Implications in Biology, Prognosis, and Prediction of Response to Hormonal Treatment

Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Oct 17;21(20):7691. doi: 10.3390/ijms21207691.

Abstract

Breast cancer, which is the most common malignancy in women, does not form a uniform nosological unit but represents a group of malignant diseases with specific clinical, histopathological, and molecular characteristics. The increasing knowledge of the complex pathophysiological web of processes connected with breast cancercarcinogenesis allows the development of predictive and prognostic gene expressionand molecular classification systems with improved risk assessment, which could be used for individualized treatment. In our review article, we present the up-to-date knowledge about the role of miRNAs and their prognostic and predictive value in luminal A breast cancer. Indeed, an altered expression profile of miRNAs can distinguish not only between cancer and healthy samples, but they can classify specific molecular subtypes of breast cancer including HER2, Luminal A, Luminal B, and TNBC. Early identification and classification of breast cancer subtypes using miRNA expression profilescharacterize a promising approach in the field of personalized medicine. A detection of sensitive and specific biomarkers to distinguish between healthy and early breast cancer patients can be achieved by an evaluation of the different expression of several miRNAs. Consequently, miRNAs represent a potential as good diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, and therapeutic biomarkers for patients with luminal A in the early stage of BC.

Keywords: breast cancer; estrogen receptor; luminal A; miRNA; prognosis; tamoxifen.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / analysis
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Prognosis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • MicroRNAs