Gene expression analysis in circulating tumour cells to determine resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors plus endocrine therapy in HR + /HER2- metastatic breast cancer patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Metastatic breast cancer (BC) is the main cause of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide. HR + /HER2- BC patients are treated with endocrine therapy (ET), but therapeutic resistance is common. The combination of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) with ET was approved for metastatic BC patients and extended the median progression-free survival to 24 months. This therapy is not always effective, and in every patient, resistance ultimately occurs, but the underlying resistance mechanisms remain unclear. To address this gap, we explored circulating tumour cells (CTCs) as biomarkers to assess treatment response and resistance in metastatic HR + /HER2- BC patients receiving CDK4/6i plus ET.

Methods

In total, 53 HR + /HER2- metastatic BC patients who

SUBMITTER: Gonzalez-Conde M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11971781 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature