Circulating and Intracellular miRNAs as Prognostic and Predictive Factors in HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Review of the Literature

Chrystel Isca; Federico Piacentini; Ilenia Mastrolia; Valentina Masciale; Federica Caggia; Angela Toss; Claudia Piombino; Luca Moscetti; Monica Barbolini; Michela Maur; Massimo Dominici; Claudia Omarini

doi:10.3390/cancers13194894

Circulating and Intracellular miRNAs as Prognostic and Predictive Factors in HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Review of the Literature

Cancers (Basel). 2021 Sep 29;13(19):4894. doi: 10.3390/cancers13194894.

Affiliations

¹ Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University Hospital of Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy.
² Laboratory of Cellular Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy.
³ Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology-Hematology, University Hospital of Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small noncoding RNAs that can act as both oncogene and tumor suppressors. Deregulated miRNA expression has been detected in human cancers, including breast cancer (BC). Considering their important roles in tumorigenesis, miRNAs have been investigated as potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. Neoadjuvant setting is an optimal model to investigate in vivo the mechanism of treatment resistance. In the management of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-positive early BC, the anti-HER2-targeted therapies have drastically changed the survival outcomes. Despite this, growing drug resistance due to the pressure of therapy is relatively frequent. In the present review, we focused on the main miRNAs involved in HER2-positive BC tumorigenesis and discussed the recent evidence on their predictive and prognostic value.

Keywords: HER2 positive breast cancer; early stage breast cancer; exosome; extracellular vesicles; miRNA; neoadjuvant chemotherapy; predictive factors; prognostic factors; trastuzumab.