Mammospheres of letrozole-resistant breast cancer cells enhance breast cancer aggressiveness.

ABSTRACT: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs), such as letrozole, are considered as first-line treatment for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Despite the successful use of letrozole, resistance to therapy, tumor relapse and metastasis remain principal causes of patient mortality. Although there is no therapy currently available for AI-resistant breast cancer, previous reports have demonstrated that AI resistance is associated with hormone independence, increased growth factor signaling, enhanced cellular motility and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). This suggests a convergence of EMT and cancer stem cells (CSCs) in endocrine resistance. The present study evaluated the contribution of mammospheres in letrozole-resistant breast cancer by characterizing mammospheres a

SUBMITTER: Patel JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8258623 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature