Antibody-Drug Conjugates: A New Therapeutic Approach for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Cancer Treat Res. 2023:188:1-27. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-33602-7_1.

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subset associated with a worse prognosis and poor response to conventional chemotherapy. Despite recent advances in drug discovery, its management is still a challenge for clinicians, illuminating the unmet need to develop novel treatment approaches. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) are innovative oncology drugs that combine the specificity of monoclonal antibodies and the high efficacy of anticancer payloads, to deliver cytotoxic drugs selectively to cancer cells. Various ADCs were investigated for TNBC and have provided a promise for this aggressive women's cancer including the FDA-approved sacituzumab govitecan. In this chapter, we reviewed different ADCs studied for TNBC including their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and tolerability. Moreover, we have also discussed their therapeutic potential based on combinatorial approaches with other targeted therapies in early and metastatic TNBC.

Keywords: Antibody–drug conjugates; Clinical trials; Triple-negative breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Breast
  • Cancer Vaccines*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoconjugates* / therapeutic use
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Immunoconjugates
  • Cancer Vaccines